Two People, One Heart
by Simetra Kain
Summary: The same dream continuously haunted her mind. They looked like dulled photos that bled out the color that kept them alive. Was it a message explaining that not everything was as it seemed?
1. Friends, Coffee, Wisterias

**Disclaimer: I do not own Kingdom Hearts and its characters. All of the following belongs to Square and Disney, but the story is my property.**

Inspired by The Red Jumpsuit Apparatus – Face Down

Princess Io

* * *

Maybe it's just me…but never in my life have I ever been thrown into a situation like this. Sora, my best friend has told me time and time again, "Don't worry about it, just because she doesn't notice now won't mean she never will later."

Hah, yeah right. So says the guy who took three years just to build up the courage to confess his feelings to Kairi. For one thing, it was obvious he felt strongly towards the crimson haired girl. From his blushing, to the mention of her name--to even her melodious voice that captivated his sensitive hearing.

Well, the situation has left me speechless.

Why?

Imagine a cliché moment where you one day realize you've fallen in love with one of your best friends. Sounds good so far right? Except the fact that your best friend you've fallen for is currently dating one of the most popular--of course, second best to Riku--guys attending Twilight University.

Yeah, and to make matters worse, she only considers you as a friend who has always been there for them since the tender age of five.

It's _that_ bad. But, on the upside, I haven't told her that I've loved her for so long. At least, not yet. And what's so horrible is that all of my other friends all have their respective boyfriends/girlfriends--except me!

Talk about being the black sheep. Truth be told, I even get a bit sickened by the cuddling and lovey-dovey atmosphere that suffocates me anyway.

"_Oh Roxas, you're just bitter that she's going out with Hiro. And the fact that you two hate each other's guts to no end makes it worse. I'm sorry he's a jerk and all…get over it; I'm sure there are other girls out there for you. I mean, it doesn't HAVE to be her, it could be someone else you're destined for."_

I remember Olette telling me that about a month ago when I went to the park with her and Hayner on a Saturday afternoon. What better day to take in the soft breeze than to have it ruined by Hiro Takamura and…**her **giggling at his jokes and linking her fingers in his?

The one and only girl that I fell in love with…

Naminé.

--

**One: Friends, Coffee, Wisterias**

"Yo! Roxas! C'mon, man! Riku and the guys are going to the Destiny Bean to grab something to drink!" Sora called on the other side of the apartment door, all the while knocking loud enough on the surface.

Finally opening the door, Sora was greeted by an extremely tired looking Roxas. He was still half awake from staying up all night and ran his hands through his messy dirty blond locks. "Do you have any idea what frickin' time it is Sora?" He asked irritably, yawning and putting on his annoyed expression.

"It's ten, and who decided to stay up all night just to study for mid-terms that aren't starting until the end of this month?" the brunette smirked, crossing his arms to emphasize his point.

"Well, I'm not waiting to get my 'F' handed to me. Unlike **some **people, I actually study when the professor recommends it and not cram on the day or night before." Roxas countered, quirking an eyebrow and then walking to his room after letting Sora in for a few minutes.

"So, you still in contact with Naminé? I mean, you two haven't spoken to one another in some time. Approximately several months dude." Sora said, opening the fridge and observing the contents inside.

"We've both been busy, she's currently working on a musical while I've been working and studying for mid-terms." Roxas replied; coming out of his room wearing an ash gray t-shirt bearing the words 'Got Milk?', faded denim jeans and an old pair of black Vans slip on shoes. He began finger combing through his blond locks and then sprayed some Sunset cologne on his body.

"Hmm…" Sora mumbled, closing the refrigerator door and then adding, "What are you? Anorexic? You have nothing except water, W-A-T-E-R! For Pete's sake! Get a steak in here or something! Did I mention you had nothing except water?"

"Look, just because I don't eat like a pig Sora, doesn't mean that I'm anorexic. Gimme a break, I just haven't had the time to go grocery shopping. What part of work, studying and doing homework do you not understand?" The blond huffed, pushing past him and heading towards the door.

"Like a pig? Hey! I do not eat like a pig!" Sora retorted, understanding whom his best friend meant.

* * *

"What took you guys so long?" Riku asked, starting the engine of his silver Tacoma truck. Driving out from the sidewalk, Riku shifted to another gear before pushing on the gas pedal to go forward.

"Well, 'Sleeping Beauty' here decided to pull an all-nighter and then go emo on us over the fact that his girlfriend is going out with Hiro Takamura instead of him." Sora snickered, earning a hard jab on his left shoulder from the backseat.

"Very funny, Sora. Look, I already told you, I supported Naminé's decision to go out with Hiro. Just because she's not with me doesn't mean that I'll be depressed over it." Roxas said quietly, turning his attention to the overcast sky painted in various grays and whites.

"Are you telling me you're OKAY with the fact that Naminé's not with you? Roxas—" Riku started, turning off the car and pulling the keys out of the ignition. The silver haired young man turned around in the driver's seat to face the twenty year old.

"Look dude. I know that you're sad and all, but no need for the water works alright? Seriously, you can't just be humble over Naminé dating someone else and not you." And at that, Riku opened his car door and stepped out to walk towards the coffee shop.

Sighing, Sora shook his head before following suit and leaving Roxas briefly to his thoughts.

_"Do they honestly think that I'm jealous? Of course I'm not jealous of Hiro!"_

Denial anyone?

Roxas sighed once more before opening his door and stepping onto the cold asphalt. He figured to not dawdle on such frivolous things for now, and focused on grabbing some coffee and conversing with friends.

--

"Anyway, that's when Sora spilled all of his Paopu smoothie on the front of his jeans on our first date!" Roxas could hear a bubbly Kairi giggling over. Olette couldn't help herself and was hysterical, followed by Hayner who fell out of his seat crying tears of laughter.

And all that poor little Sora could do was turn the other way and evidently show the utter embarrassment he failed to mask.

Pulling up a chair to the group, Roxas couldn't help but smile at the warmth his friends emitted whenever they were all together. The Destiny Bean was the one place that the entire gang would be able to relax and get away from their hectic--and extremely busy--lives.

From working full time to attending one of the hardest universities in Twilight Town, not to mention with high expectations as well. But, they all manage to make it through before being driven insane.

"So, Roxas, what's up with no communication between you and Naminé?" Hayner asked, wrapping a hand around Olette's petite waist, earning a small smile form her and a chocolate cappuccino. As if on cue, the blond 20-year-old looked up from concentrating on the tiled flooring and sighs.

Before speaking, Roxas turned his chair around so the back faced his front, and then supported his chin with his two arms resting on the top.

"Well, we've both just been busy. She's doing her thing while I'm doing mine. But, it's only been a few months, so it's not like something major is coming up." he said, ruefully scratching the back of his head and reaching into his pocket for his vibrating cell phone.

Quickly excusing himself, Roxas stood up from his chair to go outside the coffee shop so he could have some privacy.

While the others conversed freely among each other, Roxas looked at the front of his phone that he had a text message from Naminé. He smiled and hoped to finally talk to her after months of silence.

_Hey, at the Destiny Bean right now?  
-N_

_Yeah. What about you?  
-R_

Pause.

_I'm w/ Hiro the park.  
-N_

Roxas resisted the urge to shut his cell phone closed instead of text messaging, but went against his decision. Before replying, he looked up at the group enjoying each other's company and imagined Naminé being there too.

Of course, during that time she wasn't dating Hiro and was spending most of her time with either him or Kairi when she had the chance.

_Oh. Having fun?  
-R_

Frowning at his response, Roxas felt like he was being watched behind his back. Turning around inconspicuously, he spotted a familiar brunette giving him raised eyebrows and a smug expression. Rolling his eyes, Roxas turned back to his vibrating phone to read what Naminé had sent back.

_Yes! Right now we're sitting beneath the wisterias. Wish you were here, the view is so breathtaking.  
-N_

_I bet.  
-R_

Before Roxas pressed the 'ok' button to send his text, his mind began to dream back to that time when Naminé and he were young children.

--

"_Roxas! Catch me!" A giggling Naminé called behind her, all the while running away from an equally small Roxas._

"_I'm gonna get you!" Roxas called back, laughing along with her, picking up his speed and eventually catching up to her._

_He boldly tackled her to the ground, but reluctantly in a pile of violet and azure wisterias. It was mid spring, and Wisteria Gardens were known for their diversely colored flowers and fresh atmosphere. After emerging among the piles of fallen flowers, the two continued laughing at one another._

_Finally, the two got out of the pile and sat down on the edge of one of the bridges that was built over a river that ran through Wisteria Gardens. The two children sat side by side in silence, intently watching the fish swimming gleefully through the crystal clear water and wisteria flowers floating atop the surface near lily pads._

"_We're gonna be best friends forever…right Roxas?" young Naminé asked, turning her attention to the blonde haired boy. Looking up form the river, Roxas responded with the biggest smile he could spread across his cheeks._

"_Of course we'll be best friends forever Nami!" It was then that he stopped smiling and just stared at the girl before him. Mimicking his motion, Naminé cocked her head to the side in curiosity. She blinked a few times, noticing Roxas hadn't moved from his current position since he started looking at her in a strange way._

"_What's the matter?" she finally asked, taking one of her hands to push strands of her hair behind her ear. Roxas' hand followed her own, but stopped short and instead reached for the small lavender wisteria that was still in her hair from their previous horse playing in the wisteria flower pile._

"_You missed one Nami." The boy said, showing Naminé the fully bloomed flower that had attached itself to her golden locks earlier that day. He then smelled the delicate flower and was filled with a fragrance like no other; a sensation of something he couldn't describe, he only recognized the faint scent of Naminé__'s lilac shampoo._

_Tenderly taking the wisteria from him, Naminé smiled genuinely before putting the flower back in her hair, but behind her ear._

"_Thank you Roxas."_

"_You're welcome…Nami."_

--

Shaking his head vigorously, Roxas quickly realized he got another text from Naminé while he was thinking of the past.

_Are you still there?  
-N_

"_Shoot!"_ Roxas thought, scolding himself for reminiscing when he was practically ignoring the young woman he was texting.

_Sorry. I was just thinking.  
-R_

_About what?  
-N_

Creasing his eyebrows, Roxas tried thinking of a good excuse to tell her. Every attempt failed miserably and Roxas decided to tell her the truth of what was on his mind.

_I was thinking of that time when we were only ten. Remember when we spent time together in Wisteria Gardens?  
-R_

His thumb itched to press the 'ok' button for the text to be sent. But a text came up from her first, disappointing and saving him simultaneously.

_Sorry Roxas, gotta go. Maybe we'll talk later? How about tomorrow at the Destiny Bean…just the two of us?  
-N_

His eyes widened at the open opportunity to see and talk to Naminé in person for a long time. Smiling, Roxas replied quickly before clicking his phone shut.

_Sure Nami, sounds good. See you then.  
-R_

The young 20-year-old finally let out a breath he had been holding. He was going to see Naminé again! And without Hiro by her side, could this day get any better?

* * *

A word from the author...

Well, there we go! The first chapter of Two People, One Heart is complete! I may change the title later though…thanks for reading, hope you review and come again for chapter two!


	2. Catching Up

Liked the first chapter huh? I hope! Here comes the second chapter, and it'll go a little faster pace wise I guess. The first chapter was a slow opening and I'm sorry about that…I may revise these chapters later and when I have the time.

Princess Io

* * *

**Two: Catching Up**

Roxas couldn't sleep.

He tossed and turned, sleept on the floor and pushed the sheets off his searing body; he had done it all. Why can't he sleep? As the young man sat up in bed, he began contemplating why he couldn't. His answer had been stating the obvious:

He was nervous to see her again.

Nervous that if something had gone wrong; it would be the death of their relationship.

"_Relationship?"_ the young adult intently thought as he stared at the intricate designs the shadows made on the ceiling before stepping onto the wooden floor. Roxas quickly ran his fingers through his spiked locks and let out an exasperated breath.

"_Did we even have some sort of relationship in the first place?"_ Thinking again, he slowly made his way to his walk-in closet across the room.

_Click._

As the light switched on, Roxas quietly glanced around before finally spotting a familiar box near his large rack of assorted shoes. He pulled it out and smiled upon gazing at the worn and old aged cardboard box.

"_Roxas' Box O' Stuff!"_ was written in clear handwriting with a black permanent marker. After wiping the dust off the surface, Roxas felt hesitant before flipping open the top and looking at the contents. The first thing that caught his eye were his high school yearbooks.

His grin growing wider, Roxas pulled his senior yearbook out and flipped to a random page; surprisingly the senior pictures. From Olette's picture to his own, that year had been his best and favorite.

Riku was already in his first year of college, so he was absent in the gang. Turning a few more pages, yet another group of pictures caught his attention:

**The senior nominees and winners.**

As his memory flashed back to that time, Roxas had developed quite a reputation of being one of the school's top hotties and was nominated as the class' 'Senior Male Hottie'. Of course, his best friend Sora wasn't too shabby himself, earning a large amount of votes also. In the end, both tied for second place and someone else took first place.

Laughing fondly, Roxas stared for a few more minutes at the pictures that made history in Traverse High School. What was amusing in his mind was the fact that all of his friends won something in the nominations.

Hayner and Olette won 'Modern Prince and Princess' and were second place to 'Cutest Couple'. The two were practically inseparable since middle school. When they first saw each other, it happened after Hayner "accidentally" bumped into the quiet brunette, knocking her textbooks onto the hard concrete.

Being a gentleman, he helped her pick them up and then walked her to her class. Everything from there was pretty much history and after building up courage, by freshmen year, Hayner and Olette began dating.

Kairi won 'Best Female Voice', placed second for 'Senior Female Hottie' and was also second place for 'Top Female Athlete'. Kairi had always been a head-turner, from middle school to their last year in high school, but she was very subtle and secretive of it.

She was known as one of the tomboys in the gang as well, a bit insecure about her body, but can be a girl when she wants too at the same time.

Pence won 'Best Dancer'…which was a huge shock to everyone when they found out at Prom Pence was a very successful break-dancer. He dominated and amazed the entire senior class on the dance floor that night, earning many cheers and compliments.

He also tied second for 'Next-Gen Einstein' and 'Best Dressed' for not only the fact he had one of the highest test scores in Traverse High, but could look good while receiving a plague of recognition.

Even though Roxas hadn't won the position of 'Senior Male Hottie', he ended up winning 'Top Male Athlete' for his pro skateboarding, was second place for 'Next-Gen Shakespeare', and was third for 'Most Successful'.

One thing that Roxas always kept in mind was the fact that many people didn't notice him until he began coming to school by skateboard or even writing many screen plays for the school's Theatre Department in his spare time.

Sora wasn't the winner of 'Senior Male Hottie' either, but instead won 'Most Heroic', was second place for 'Daredevil' for his ability to prove to people he could do anything; from bungee jumping to eating disgusting foods from across the nations. He also proudly placed third for 'Most Photogenic' for the fact that he always looked good in any photo from every angle.

Some have told him he would be a very good male model when he got older. In response, Sora smiled and did his trademark move by flushing and scratching the back of his head, all the while staring at the ground.

And lastly, Naminé came into Roxas' view. His eyes widened at the guiltless young woman in the picture. Even now, she was the most striking thing he had ever seen. She had always been an angel in his eyes and never more or less that fact.

She won 'Damsel In Distress' for her superlative talent to act and receive any lead female parts in the Theatre Department. Namine was also second place for 'Most Artistic' for her stupendous drawings that often times won first or second place in the school's contests and even two or three titles in very popular Art Galleries in Twilight Town also.

She was also third place for 'Senior Female Hottie', just one vote short of tying with Kairi and that most of the votes had belonged to the male population.

The strange thing about Naminé was that she was not only very innocent looking, but also quite naïve. That's not to say that Kairi or Olette weren't either, but they could tell when a guy was hitting on them or trying to "sweep them off their feet".

But one thing that made Roxas fall in love with Naminé was that she didn't exactly pay attention to everything around her because she would concentrate on her studies or her sketches. He would stare at her during their English class and she would never even notice.

She did catch him during one of his 'staring episodes' and he blushed to a very bright scarlet; the dark hues completely covering his face from the tips of his ears to his collar.

**Naminé** …

That very name was what made Roxas tremble from head-to-toe. Even the mere thought of her made his heart pound through his ears. Closing the yearbook, he sighed, staring once more at the ceiling of the walk-in closet.

He then pulled out a few more yearbooks and put them aside until he came across a small familiar box. It had no label and could've been in mint condition. Raising a curious eyebrow, he cautiously approached the small container, predicting what the box may hold inside.

Roxas first observed the box, and then closed his eyes in suspense before taking he lid off and placing it on the carpet. Holding his breath, he opened his eyes and peered inside. Inside was something that took him completely off guard.

There were various little items inside that only had one thing that made Roxas grin again that night. Now he remembered, it was his and Naminé's time capsule they put together when they were children. The two placed things they did together after going to Wisteria Gardens and both decided to switch back and forth holding onto it.

Many small trinkets were inside the box, from pictures to an ice cream cone wrapped in plastic bag, his memory permitted him to remember all of those times he had spent with Naminé.

It was then that a brilliant idea had flashed in his mind. Nodding at his complex plan, he covered the box again and then put all of his yearbooks away. Feeling his eyes droop from losing sleep, Roxas left the large box where it was, but instead took the smaller one with him back to his bedroom.

He finally felt like he could snooze once more that night, glancing at the clock and putting the box on his nightstand for convenience.

"_1:15am? Man, time can really go by quick without looking at once for a long time…"_ he dozily thought, sleep overcoming him.

* * *

Today was the day. The day that Roxas and Naminé meet for the first time in several months, though they felt like years. So, why was Roxas thinking about all of the bad things that could happen upon their meeting?

_Because_ she has a boyfriend who could end up following them for **insane** reasons._ Because_ it could **rain** and then they'd have to **reschedule**._ Because_ she might tell him **horrendous** **news** that she doesn't have the courage to tell the gang._ Because_ they might end up **arguing** over something, only to result in **Hiro** arriving to her rescue and then they may start **fighting**.

_Because_--there were **too** many things to count!

He was in the middle of taking a shower. After all, he did want to look his best for Naminé. The warm sprinkles of water began beating onto his body as he grabbed his shampoo. Rubbing it through his damp mane, the concoction began to lather into foam before he rinsed it out.

When the shampooing was done, he quickly got his conditioner and lathered it in his hair as well. Finally, he hastily rubbed his body down with body wash and clicked the knob off.

Roxas was starting to get a headache from thinking so much as he was washing his face in his bathroom.

"_Hopefully this day will go smoothly, and then I can do everything according to plan. Why did she just want to see me?"_ he thought, running a towel through his sodden hair and then grabbing a face towel.

Wiping his face dry, he then began brushing his teeth, feeling the tingling sensation of mint toothpaste filling his mouth with a foamy consistency. He had to look his best, if not better today just to impress her like he always had in the past.

A reunion like this felt like a turn of the century to him, and he was going to make the best impression he ever had. Finishing his duties in the bathroom, Roxas made his way to his walk-in closet again.

"_What to wear?"_

Roxas finally chose a pair of black and red skate shoes, a white button up t-shirt, and dark blue Ezra Fitch jeans with black ankle socks. For an added affect, Roxas pulled out his old checkerboard wristband and white and black rings.

Satisfied, Roxas looked once more through a large body mirror to make sure nothing was out of place. His Emerica shoes were only worn once or twice, so they still looked quite new. His Ezra Fitch jeans fit comfortably around his waist and snuggled his muscular legs nicely.

And his white button up t-shirt--only the first button unbuttoned--loosely fit around his torso. Quickly slipping on his wristband and rings, Roxas was almost ready for his reunion with Naminé.

"_One more thing to do before I get outta here…" _Roxas thought, going back to his bathroom. Searching through his cabinet, he found exactly what he was looking for--cologne for a special occasion. Smiling proudly, he opened the brand new cologne he had bought a week ago at the mall from one of his favorite stores: Punk Illusions.

Spraying the cologne on himself, Roxas was finally ready for his day with Naminé. Turning and looking one last time at his clean apartment, he nodded before locking and closing the door.

--

Glancing at his clock, his punctuality couldn't be any better. He was ten minutes early before his rendezvous. It was only 10:20am, and he wasn't expected until 10:30am. Before getting out of his red Civic, he looked at what he had in store for himself and Naminé.

Time capsule box? Check.

Single white rose? Check.

Jacket in case it gets cold later? Check.

Reservations for The Radiant Sunset Restaurant? Check.

Munny? Check.

Naminé? Check.

"You're quite early aren't you?" a light voice asked from behind him. Gasping, Roxas turned around quickly, almost bumping into the female behind him. Quirking an eyebrow, Naminé giggled at Roxas' expression.

Clearing his throat, Roxas stared at the ground before looking at Naminé for the first time in months. 'Wow' he mouthed, getting a good look at her.

A plain yellow tank top covered her torso and a white thigh length skirt hugged her hips. A small metal belt hung loosely through her belt holes, with stars in the design. Her creamy legs were in full view and familiar blue sandals covered her feet.

Her wrists were adorned with simple bracelets and a small necklace was around her neck. To compliment her simple attire, she had a small baby blue purse with a small star chain dangling off the strap.

Naminé's hair hadn't changed; it was still that bleach blond that made her look angelic. Her features never ceased to amaze Roxas, she was just, so heavenly to gaze upon.

"You look…wow." he clumsily said, unable to finish his sentence.

Naminé tittered in response, "You look pretty handsome yourself. And smell good too." She smiled, her large ocean pools looking him up and down.

"This is for you." Roxas said, handing Naminé the single white rose and waiting for her reaction. She was awe stricken, unable to say anything. White roses were her favorite flowers, other than violet wisterias of course.

"Roxas…how…it's…" she choked.

"Unexpected? Extraordinary?"

"Yes…how did you…"

"Let's just say I know some people."

"I see. Thank you."

"Welcome."

A moment's silence and the two hadn't exchanged a word, afraid of breaking it.

"Well then, shall we my lady?"

"Lets. And, where are we going?"

"Hungry?" he asked, sitting in the driver's seat and turning on the engine. Roxas began backing out of the parking lot.

"Quite hungry actually, know a good place to eat?"

"How about The Radiant Sunset?" Roxas asked, looking at Naminé in his peripheral vision, still paying attention to the road before him. He shifted to another gear before she answered.

"Sounds wonderful!"

* * *

"I'm SO full!"

"Me too." Roxas agreed, placing munny on the check and getting up. He made his way to Naminé and pulled out her chair.

"C'mon, we're nowhere near our entire day together!" he beamed. Following suit, Naminé nodded and walked with Roxas towards the exit.

"So, how were you able to get a day off from your busy schedule?" Roxas asked, turning on the engine once more.

"Well, I requested a day off from work and the musical that I've been working on is a bit delayed due to our supplies being shipped from overseas a little late. That, and Hiro had to go help out with his family business. He is the heir to Takamura Industries and will reign after his father retires. The business is one of the most famous and richest here in Twilight Town." Naminé explained, looking up at the sky.

"Oh… So, uh, how did you two meet?" the blond girl didn't notice a change in his attitude.

"You really want to know?" she glanced at him cautiously, not wanting to make him uncomfortable due to Roxas' previous encounter with Hiro.

"Enlighten me."

"Ok then. I was taking a walk at through Twilight University and ended up getting lost. I was if not more than half an hour late for my class and must've missed the entire lecture because by the time I found it, everyone was gone--even the professor. It was then that I had company. Hiro of course, asked if I was okay and drove me home. He gave me the notes he took and 'saved' me because on the next mid-term I passed with an eighty-six. The rest is pretty much history I guess…" Naminé smiled at the memory, holding it close to her heart.

Roxas cast his eyes downwards, a painful pang began growing inside his chest, making him clench and unclench his fists. Could his best friends Riku and Sora know him any better?

His attitude spelled one big word written in large scarlet letters.

**JEALOUSLY. J-E-A-L-O-U-S-Y.**

Now there was no use in denying the fact Roxas was very envious of Hiro, but no way would he let Naminé know about it. Creasing his eyebrows, Roxas began thinking and realized he was here to enjoy his day with Naminé, not get fired up over the fact that she has a boyfriend.

"Hey Roxas…" he heard her harmonic voice call out to him.

"Hmm?"

Looking up, he saw that smile that always made him melt from the inside. As soon as she grabbed his hand, everything else disappeared.

The world was no more, and what only existed were he and Naminé. Giggling, she tugged on his hand before running, leading him to some unknown place.

"Where—"

"To somewhere that wasn't in your schedule!" Naminé continued to run; her mid-length tresses flowing gently in the wind behind her.

--

"The beach huh?" Roxas asked, still panting for breath. They ran a whole half hour without slowing their pace or stopping altogether. Naminé was just as tired--or more so--and had bent over to fix the loose strap on her sandal.

"Yup…" Naminé barely managed to squeak out an answer. She stood up and caught her breath for a minute. Suddenly, her small purse began ringing and vibrating, surprising both of the young adults.

"Who could that be?" Naminé asked curiously, looking at Roxas before reaching for her purse on the ground.

"_Who could that be?"_ Roxas was slightly irritated over the fact someone was interrupting their date.

"_DATE?!" _his eyes widened at the thought, a light pink hue reaching his cheeks. He looked away before Naminé could see his embarrassment. While Naminé looked at her cell phone for a call, Roxas put his attention to the sky, the many colors of orange, pink and gray slowly mixing together.

_Just got back from work. Where are you? You aren't lonely right? Well, I'll be back soon. And I have dinner reservations for the two of us tonight. Consider it an apology for leaving without telling you. Love you.  
-H_

"_Oh! It's Hiro-kun. Hmm…it isn't right to reply to his text right now. It would be rude, for both Roxas and myself. I promised myself this morning that I wouldn't answer any calls or texts because this day was very important. I'll reply when I get home."_ Naminé thought, nodding before clicking her cell phone shut and putting it back inside her purse.

"Who was it?" Roxas asked, now feeling like he should kick himself for being so curious. And that he shouldn't ever ask because it was clearly NONE of his business about what goes on in Naminé's life. He turned and faced Naminé, patiently waiting a response.

She sighed before speaking. "It was…a text from Hiro. He said that he was done with work and was wondering where I am. And that he's coming back at his apartment to take me to dinner sometime tonight."

"You're living with him?" Roxas tried not to make his question sound venomous and frosty. He stared hard at the ground before looking up at Naminé.

Shaking her head, Naminé declared. "No, there's no way I would move in with him. He may be my boyfriend, but that doesn't mean that I have to live with him in order to confirm our relationship."

"Did you…" Roxas' heart was practically weeping on the inside; he clutched his buttoned shirt tightly. He couldn't finish that sentence, but was sure Naminé knew what he was talking about. Stubbornly, Roxas turned away, anger evident on his visage.

Her eyes widened at the inquiry. Was Roxas really that worried about her? Sure, he was her best friend, but to go this far? He really is protecting her form harm.

"_How…noble of him."_ she smiled and approached him.

Placing her hands on both sides of his face, Roxas felt electricity jolting throughout his body. His azure eyes shifted upwards, never breaking contact with Naminé's.

"No Roxas…I…No, I've never slept with him…Why would I--You know me better than that right?"

She felt broken by his distant question.

Naminé tried not to cry; this was supposed to be a happy day! A happy get-together with her best friend! Guilty, Roxas cursed before reaching up to hold her hands.

"I'm sorry, I never meant to ask you. It's your business and I have no right to barge in where I'm not permitted." Taking one of her hands, he led her to the shores of the Moon Beach.

* * *

"It's so beautiful…" Naminé said, walking hand in hand with Roxas. As she watched the calm rhythm of the waves, Roxas gazed at nothing else but the young woman by his side.

"Yeah…you are." Catching himself too late, he gasped before clamping his mouth shut with his opposite hand. She lightly laughed in response, jovial at the flattering remark.

"Why thank you."

"I meant that the moon was beautiful."

"Sure you did. I know exactly what you meant." Naminé tapped the tip of his nose with her finger and winked to emphasize her point.

Still walking, a devious thought crossed Roxas' mind. It was crazy and could probably get himself killed, or just result in a very angry Naminé. But hey, might as well have fun right? Silently, Roxas let go of Naminé's hand and disappeared, out of sight.

Feeling around for his hand, Naminé felt nothing but air. "Roxas?" she called out, looking around for the blond 20-year-old. He was nowhere to be found! Walking over to the sand where his jacket and her purse was, she set her sandals down before searching for him once more.

"Roxas! This isn't funny!"

"What's not?"

A gasp.

Roxas was sprinting towards Naminé from behind before tackling her into the ocean. Naminé came up for air first.

"What the hell?" she yelled, still looking around for the guy she was going to literally eradicate for ruining her once dry outfit.

"Ahh!" she screamed being lifted up in the air effortlessly by Roxas. He laughed gleefully before pulling her down into the aquamarine abyss once more.

A few minutes passed and Naminé came up again, shivering. "Oh my gosh! It's…so…c-cold." Her teeth were slightly chattering from the blustery weather.

Roxas came up and Naminé turned around to face him. She couldn't quite read his expression because the sun setting shadowed his face. All she could see was his dirty blonde locks shining in the remaining sunlight.

Before she could figure out what he was doing, she felt his hand take hers again and lead her out of the water and onto shore. The two said nothing, until Roxas stopped and turned around. Naminé dreamily gazed at the sight before her.

His colorless button up was now completely transparent, sticking to his muscular chest like a second skin. His golden hair had flopped downwards, bangs and all framing his mature features. Roxas' jeans were drenched from the sea and looking quite tight around his legs. And of course, his shoes were ruined, but he didn't care.

Roxas got his fair share of ogling also. Naminé's fair hair had pasted itself upon her shoulders, back and face. Her yellow tank top clenched her upper body and torso. It was completely obvious that Roxas could see all of her luscious curves her clothes hid.

Her skirt…well, since it was white, revealed everything to his mature eyes. Raising his eyebrows slightly, he made no comment. To put it plainly, she was the most breathtaking sight he had ever--and only--laid his eyes on.

As if reading each other's minds, neither lost contact with each other as they inched closer.

Roxas' lips came in contact with Naminé's in a fiery kiss. It started out as an innocent one, their lips were only lightly touching, until they applied more pressure and developed it into a passionate kiss. By instinct, Roxas' hands wrapped themselves around Namine's curvaceous body.

Starting from her shoulders, his hands explored and slid slowly down her body until they reached her small waist. Naminé followed his movement and let her own hands slide from the tops of his broad shoulders to the middle of his chest, her hands staying in their current position.

It was…so _perfect_. The moment, the setting…everything!

They were _perfect_ for _each other_; there was no one else for them. Alien feelings began manifesting themselves in Roxas' stomach, making him feel very light, as if a huge weight had disappeared from his mind. He opened his mouth to enter himself into Naminé's sweet mouth.

She squeaked as she felt his tongue tentatively touch her own. Roxas smiled during the kiss, earning small moans as his hands explored more of her hot body. Sliding under her wet shirt, he boldly traced her stomach and belly button, making her shiver and beg for more. She just couldn't get close enough to him. Ironically, he was thinking the same; his body yearned anxiously for her.

It was all so much at one time, Roxas could feel his heart pumping at incredible speeds. It was so loud that it beat threateningly against his ear sockets. He leaned into the kiss more before breaking away, trying to catch his breath.

His eyes never left hers, and while panting for breath, he gave her a lazy grin. Leaning in once more, he placed a harder kiss against her flush lips and broke off again. But instead of pulling back completely, his lips traced every inch of her face and then traveled slowly down to her neck.

He suckled all the places that were available to him, and had his hands simultaneously lift her soaking tank top above her head. Discarding the article of clothing, more of her skin was exposed much to Roxas' pleasure. Mimicking him, she unbuttoned each button on his shirt, each one slipping through her fingers.

Shrugging the shirt off, the white piece of clothing now lay ignored and at his ankles. That was it. This is what set everything in place. Both knew there was no turning back, and at that, Roxas tenderly held Naminé's smaller frame against him before falling backwards and softly against the sand. Obviously it didn't matter the two were now covered in sand.

Naminé was lying on top of Roxas' larger form, lightly kissing his lips and pulling back to look at him. No words were exchanged, only thoughts loud enough for both to hear. Naminé sat up and straddled his hips and Roxas eyed her eagerly. She flipped back her hair and all that Roxas could do was stare, his mouth slightly agape.

"_So…sexy…"_ Roxas thought, growling in approval and pushing himself up in a half sitting position; the only thing supporting him was his opposite elbow. He leaned forward and his lips barely touched her left ear.

"Is that a bra or a bathing suit top?" he asked, nipping her ear and kissing the side of her neck.

"A navy blue and white Gucci bikini." Naminé said huskily, closing her eyes and enjoying the sensations Roxas cast upon her. It was…beyond amazing.

"Oo la la." Roxas licked his lips, smirking and switching their positions. Now Roxas was on his hands and knees, his hands pinning her wrists against the sand. Legs were tangled together and refused to disconnect.

"Naminé …" he started, but a slim finger sealed his lips, stopping him abruptly from speaking. While distracting her, Roxas' hand traced her thighs and then made his way under her skirt. She could feel her true self pounding loudly, egging him on for **more**.

"R-Roxas…" Naminé softly moaned, unable to speak in complete sentences. She felt his hand edging closer, so close her muscles threatened to snap. Instead of touching her, he began undressing what was left of her and tossed the once white skirt somewhere.

He smiled triumphantly, stroking her thighs and missing her core on purpose. Roxas was teasing her, and Namine knew it and loved it. She loved it when he took control; unpredictability was one thing that she always expected from Roxas.

"Open your eyes Naminé …I can't see you…" His suave voice rang low in her ears. Naminé's eyes were shut tight, but she softened and looked into the darkest glacier pupils that rivaled the oceanic waves. They were calling out to her, desiring something that they wanted.

She couldn't quite put a finger on what at the moment.

There were no more rational thoughts, Roxas' subconscious had disappeared and so had Naminé's. The young man gave her a devilish smile, holding one of Naminé's hands and bringing it up to his lips.

He kissed the very tips, still watching her on the sands. Naminé discovered he was waiting for her, and she reached down to Roxas' lower waist.

Expertly, Naminé used one hand to unbutton Roxas' jeans and pulled them down hastily. Stopping her mid-way, Naminé looked up, fire in her eyes.

Smiling, he stood up and rid of his jeans the remainder of the way, offering Naminé a view of his lower body. Chucking his pants aside, Roxas kept his eyes on Naminé, only clad in black boxers. He slowly crawled to her, watching how impatient she became, her Gucci bikini clutching onto her like a lifeline.

"You know…" Naminé started, her voice barely above a whisper. Roxas loomed over her, his hands and knees supporting him.

"I always knew that there was something special between us…"

"How perceptive of you…"

Roxas resumed kissing Naminé's sweet lips before she had a chance to say anything more. But, Naminé wasn't one to complain, moving her lips against his in a sensual dance. Roxas asked something mid-kiss, but the thought had been quickly drowned out.

--

In the midst of their frenzied love, a loud ring broke their focus. Gasping, both sat up and turned to the direction of the loud beeping. It was Naminé's phone in her purse. "Shoot!" She scolded herself, lightly pushing Roxas off of her and reaching inside her purse for her cell. Clicking it open, it was a call from Hiro. But that's not what bothered her; it was the _time_.

"_10:30pm?! Were we really here that long?"_ Naminé's eyes widened at the ticking clock. She vaguely remembered coming to the beach at about 7:00pm, so that only meant one thing: they had been here with each other for a whole three and a half hours!

Hours. Felt more like days to her…

Hell, maybe even an eternity for all she cared! But, she didn't want this to end…never. And then it felt like a dagger had stabbed her in the chest. She had someone she was already devoted to…

A **boyfriend**…

**Hiro Takamura**…

And not…

**Roxas Awayuki**…

She, Naminé Hoshi, was the _girlfriend_ of Hiro Takamura. Not Roxas Awayuki…

"Oh my gosh…" Naminé whispered. Realization hit her hard, causing Naminé to clench her fist with the cell phone in hand. Tears drowned her inside out as she felt Roxas' presence coming closer behind her.

"Roxas…"

She closed her eyes, unable to look at him now that what she has done was wrong. No matter how _right_ it felt to her mind, her heart was screaming at her and telling her to stop. But because she paid no heed, Naminé was now filled with **confusion**.

Roxas was the same as her, telling her to talk to Hiro and explain to him that she'll be there as soon as she can. "Naminé …I'm so sorry…I…I…"

He was also unable to explain himself, because there was nothing to explain. He let his love for her try to push away the reality that she already had a boyfriend. He had no right to seduce her.

"Please…take me home…" Was all she said before standing up and punching in Hiro's number to return his call. While it rang, she walked and gathered her sandy clothing and then distanced herself from Roxas.

Unfortunately for her, Roxas' heightened hearing always got the better of him. While he was zipping up his pants over his boxers, he could overhear the conversation Naminé was having with her **boyfriend**. Now that very word made his heart sink.

"Hiro-kun?" Naminé cracked, holding in the strong urge to cry. It would only worry him, so she stayed firm with a façade.

"_Where are you? It's nearly eleven! I was expecting you at nine!"_ His demanding voice made Naminé cringe, and Roxas irritated.

"I…" she started, and then sighed before continuing. "I ran into something complicated… I'm sorry for making you wait."

"_You ran into something that took you a whole two hours just to solve?!"_ Hiro was extremely upset; it was evident in the tone of his voice. And Namine couldn't help but feel even guiltier.

Naminé bit her lip before speaking into the receiver. "I'll explain when I arrive ok? I'm sorry Hiro-kun…"

She was shaking now, barely able to hold in her sadness. In response, Naminé heard nothing but a disconnection on the other side of the line. Closing her cell phone, Naminé finally wept, falling onto her knees. Her burning tears trailed down her cheeks and made prints in the sand.

Roxas grabbed the remnants of his clothing, and then came to Naminé. Setting his stuff aside, Roxas gently touched her shoulders, surprising the young woman. Naminé turned around and revealed the result of her lying to Hiro. Salty tears were still flowing form her icy cobalt irises. Naminé's cheeks were flushed of their original pink color and were instead pale. And her hair was a mess and the sand only made it look shoddier.

"Let me get you home."

No other words were needed.

* * *

A word from the author…

Phew! Finally done with chapter two! At least twice as long as the first one huh? Well, there you go with your drama. I'm sorry for making Naminé a bad girl and cheating on Hiro-kun! But, there is a good reason for it, so stay tuned for the next chapter.


	3. Separate Worlds

I hope more people get to read my amateur pieces of writing. Yes, I'm going to show both Roxas and Naminé's sides of their separated world. What can I say? To be away from the person you truly love would mean to die without ever seeing them again. Quite dramatic really…

**Note: Thank you Dark JaylenX, xxKingdom-Hearts-Fanxx and mylilhanyou716 for keeping this story alive in its early stages! Many hugs and "thank you" s!**

Princess Io

* * *

**Three: Separate Worlds**

"Can you please tell me why you took a whole frickin' two hours just to call back?!"

A fist slammed onto the tabletop so hard that small wooden shavings were created in its wake. Hiro was blatantly upset, and he couldn't help but vent out his frustration on the object that was closet to him at the time.

Naminé winced in retort, powerless to get a single word in as Hiro raged with fury. "I…" she started, looking away.

Her thoughts immediately drifted back to an hour ago, when Roxas dropped her off at her residence.

--

"_Thank you, Roxas,"_ _she serenely voiced, grateful for arriving at her apartment before her boyfriend did. Roxas nodded, taking his hand off the shifter and placing it gently on her own, stopping Naminé from opening her car door._

"_I'll walk you to the door." Even though his voice didn't sound demanding, she understood what he meant. There was no use saying 'no' to Roxas. Namine let out a breath before getting her purse._

"_Ok."_

_Walking up the long sidewalk felt like a time-consuming era. Both were unvoiced; never sharing what one was pondering. Roxas was occupying himself by gazing at the moonlit sky while his hands in his pockets and the time capsule box under his arm._

_Naminé turned her attention to the grass on the right side of her. The plant life glistening like priceless emerald jewels and she quickly realized it was dew. She clutched Roxas' jacket closer around her body, feeling the winds pick up._

_Naminé began searching for her keys for fear of Hiro arriving at her apartment with Roxas present. As she pulled them out, Roxas' hand stopped hers from entering it into the doorknob._

_She paused before coming in contact with identical cerulean orbs belonging to Roxas._ "_I…" She stuttered._

_His piercing gaze seemed to be searching for something. Roxas was reading her every deliberation, attempting to make her understand._

_In that instant, Roxas wrapped Naminé in a soft hug. His arms were firmly around her waist, his face masked in the crook of her neck. All the blond female could hear were the faint noises of her Roxas' box and her purse hitting the ground. The objects laid there, forgotten—but only during the heat of the moment._

"_Wha—" Naminé started. Her arms were crushed against Roxas' chest and her own. They were so close the two could feel each other's steady heartbeats. Namine's hands couldn't move from their current position on her best friend's pectorals._

_Roxas chuckled, his breath making the hair on her neck stand up. His appearance turned solemn when he spoke to Naminé. "This is for you. You'll understand when you open the box. And…I'm sorry."_

_Without giving _Naminé_ a possibility to say anything in the matter, Roxas released her from the safe warmth. She suddenly felt incomplete without that embrace just seconds ago._

_Roxas kissed Naminé's left hand and turned on his heel, heading back to his car. His exit was swift, but he refused to admit the regret painted on his features when he retreated. "Good night, Miss Naminé Hoshi." Roxas continued down the long walkway and finally down toward the driveway._

_Naminé's knees buckled underneath her, unable to hold her trembling form any longer. As the ruby car disappeared from view, Naminé's eyes landed upon her purse, and the box Roxas left behind._

"_Good night." She whispered, picking up the box and her purse._

--

"Naminé!" Hiro's fist slammed again on the brittle table, causing an even bigger dent in the same place. His girlfriend's lack of attention was agitating him. Just what could be more important than their miscommunication? She was clearly focused on other matters, intentional or not.

His eyes shifted into narrowed pupils, the burgundy pigment growing a darker shade. Running a hand through his shadowy mane, Hiro started yet again. "Did you even listen to a single word that I said at all Naminé?"

Biting her lip in shame, Naminé slowly shook her head, her eyes cast at her socks. Her hands were wringing the ends of her white tank top.

The atmosphere and deadly gaze her boyfriend was giving her made Naminé even more uncomfortable. "I'm sorry."

"SORRY?! Look at me when I am talking to you!" Hiro commanded, walking over to the other side of the table with dangerous strides. An unreadable expression was written across his face, and Naminé instinctively reflected every step he advanced toward her.

Her back touched a wall, and Namine had been trapped between it and an enraged man.

Gripping her shoulders, Hiro began shaking her, annoyance welling up in his eyes. He wanted to yell at her, do something to get her full attention.

But he just let her go and went back to the injured table.

Naminé fell to the carpeted floor, thrown like a rag doll. Grabbing his keys, Hiro huffed and stomped out the door, closing it with incredible speed for more effect.

Still in her current position on the ground, bittersweet tears tattooed themselves down her cheeks and chin again that day. "Why?" she whispered to herself. Bringing her hands to her face, she hadn't moved until her cell phone rang again.

A few moments passed, and she was too afraid to pick it up. Curiosity got the better of her and Naminé checked the ID and answered the unexpected call.

"Hello?"

"So Rox…where were you today?" Riku asked, mashing mercilessly on his PS2 controller while concentrating on the video game shown on the Plasma TV screen.

"Yeah, thought you were going to meet us and the guys today at the Ethereal Hollows. Man, did you miss out or what?" Sora added proudly, equally pounding on his controller while participating.

"_I bet I wouldn't have missed out on anything important for that matter…"_ Roxas thought, placing a large bowl of popcorn upon the coffee table in front of the other two.

He shook his head and went to his refrigerator (now fully stocked to Sora's delight), grabbing a Dr. Pepper, a Cherry Coke, and a Vanilla Coke.

"Head's up," Roxas called, tossing the chilly drinks to Riku and Sora, their attention still on the eye-blaring screen's graphic game. As expected, both keyblade wielders effortlessly caught their choice of soda without looking. Years of fighting Heartless and saving the world continuously can definitely have its advantages.

"Dude, tell already! I know you're not the type to just sit around or something on your day off. What did you do all day today?" Sora used one hand to open his Dr. Pepper and took his fill of the delicious carbonated beverage. Riku ate a handful of popcorn and quietly waited for Roxas to speak.

"Well…I, er…I…" Roxas hesitated; boiling sweat trickled down the side of his face. He clicked open his Vanilla Coke to stall for time. After taking a sip, he spoke again. "I…spent the day…with…um…"

"With…" Sora and Riku pressed, getting impatient. Sora took another swig of his thirst-quencher while Riku begun to chew a mouthful of popcorn.

"Naminé." Roxas shut his eyes tightly, his clenched fist on the harmless Vanilla Coke being slightly crushed in his vice grip.

Silence.

Followed by Sora forcefully spitting the contents of his Dr. Pepper all over the coffee table and into the bowl of fluffy popcorn. Riku had done the same, spitting what was left of chewed up popcorn. He had also accidentally snapped his PS2 controller cleanly in half from shock.

"WHAT?!" They yelled, both snapping their heads behind them to a guilty looking 20-year-old. Both of them held shocked expressions. Few things surprised Riku and Sora any more. But this…**this** was certainly a first.

Roxas' shoulders were stiffened by the impact, and he felt like digging his own grave. But, how was he going to elucidate today's agenda to his best friends who could barely hold their sense of surprise?

"Look I—"

"You what?! You can't be serious, dude!"

"That's like throwing an ice cube in a pit of lava! What the hell were you thinking?"

"I know, but—"

The duo that persecuted Roxas exchanged glances. Their silent conversation was short-lived, and both turned their immediate attention back to the young man. Sora heaved a sigh and rubbed his temples.

"…Spill, Rox. Every _single_ detail."

Constant bickering and nagging had started to peel the paint off the walls in the bachelor pad. Barking changed into curiosity, and the once loud apartment had calmed down to an acceptable volume.

It was peculiar, to start badgering their best friend who apparently did a forbidden act by putting 'the moves' on someone else's girlfriend. Now, that's not to say neither of them haven't before, but never as far as spending an entire day with her. Plus they were single women.

Blinking and running a hand down his face in disappointment, Riku let out a breath he had been holding while harassing Roxas. "Okay Rox. How about we start from the top? Go from this morning to when you dropped her off at her place."

After explaining most of the details, Roxas pulled up a chair and planted himself tiredly in the soft cushions. He purposely left out a couple elements: the time capsule and giving her his jacket after escorting her to the front door.

"So…to sum things up with today we start with picking her up at the Destiny Bean. Then there's the giving her a white rose—nice touch mind you, Roxas. Traveling to The Radiant Sunset for dinner, again more points for you. To top it off, Naminé knocked off the last of your plans and took you to the beach that closed off for you two to be alone. The rest is history, am I right?" Sora casually shined his silver crowned necklace, his mirror image showing flawlessly.

"Uh huh. Right on the mark, Sora…" Roxas nodded, taking another sip of his dark soda. It was unbelievable the way his two best friends behave. One minute they're throwing flames and chewing your ear off, the next both are tranquil and collected as if professionals.

"It's just that…I dunno what to do with this. I mean, never in my entire life have I fallen for someone like Naminé. I'll admit I've had crushes and such, but nothing near…**love**."

"Okay Shakespeare, before you start writing poems about a love you can't have, you need to clear that dirty blond head of yours." Riku waved off, reaching into the popcorn bowl.

To his dissatisfaction, his hand had become smothered in an unidentified mix of food and drink. "Ugh, Sora you moron! Your frickin' soda got all over the popcorn!"

"Wasn't my fault Roxas had to go and spend his day with Naminé …having the time of his life and then one **hell** of a make out fest." Sora grumbled, receiving a hard smack on the back of his head.

Shaking his head, Roxas stood up from his chair and went down the hallway. For many good reasons, a shower sounded very inviting right now.

"_This'll be a long night…"_

**--**

"So, that's what happened?" Kairi asked, handing another tissue to a sobbing Naminé. The auburn female watched in sorrow over her best friend who was crying over such a stressing ordeal.

Naminé's boyfriend had gone psycho, she has fallen for Roxas all over again and vise versa. The only horrible thing about it was that she was in love with both Hiro and Roxas. One being her boyfriend while the other was her best friend and now labeled (to Hiro at least) as 'the other man' in her relationship with both men.

The call Naminé had received was from Kairi. She had asked where Naminé was the entire day because they were going shopping with Olette, Trinity, and Sakuya. Completely forgetting, the blond was supposed to call Kairi back and tell her she was busy with other things in mind.

Instead Naminé ended up spending the entire day with Roxas whom she hadn't seen in several months time. Explaining what happened, Naminé felt more relieved to tell someone who understands like Kairi.

"I see." Kairi started, getting up to go to Naminé's kitchen. "Nam, you knew what you were doing right?"

"I…I don't know…" Closing her eyes, Naminé thought back to the events of her day with Roxas. Receiving a single white rose, going to The Radiant Sunset, grabbing his hand and leading him to the Moon Beach; it was all too strange.

And then, THAT time between the two of them…

"_Not even going there…"_

The day was over when Hiro called and Roxas dropped her off, leaving his jacket and the time capsule box.

"Naminé, did you just start having feelings for Roxas or…" Olette asked, pulling out her orange iPod nano. She stuck the headphones in her ears and turned the small device on. The brunette pulled her hair back in a sloppy ponytail and took a seat on the carpeted floor with her pillow in the living room of the apartment.

"Well…Roxas and I have been best friends since second grade. I did like him in middle school and high school, but no more than a friend. Maybe I started to develop feelings for him either recently or sometime ago, but I didn't really notice them."

"Because of Hiro right?" Kairi asked, bringing out a plate of chocolate chip cookies and setting them in the center of the girls' circle with other snacks and drinks. Picking up a potato chip, Kairi nibbled on it before continuing. "Did something in him just make you go head over heels?"

"He was charming in his own way. Hiro saved me from failing my first exam in my psychology class. He did so much for me, and…Roxas supported my decision to go out on a date with him. The rest is up to now. He and I have been dating for about a year now."

"_Well, Sora and I have been going out for just about that much time also. Except, neither of us had been dating other people…"_ Kairi thought, smiling at the fond memory.

Eating a small handful of Cheese Nips, Olette glanced at the clock on her iPod. "It's 3:14 you two, we should get some sleep. I have my culinary and Calculus classes tomorrow."

Yawning, Kairi agreed. She quickly placed the large platter of food on Naminé's kitchen counter and then returned to the floor.

"You're going to be able to sleep tonight right Naminé? I also have my Greek, English 2B and computer classes tomorrow. And I have to work today—the late shift this time."

"I'll be alright. I have my physics 101 and art classes tomorrow. No work for me because I'm rehearsing for 'I Want To Be Your Canary'."

"Okay then. Goodnight and good luck Naminé."

"Goodnight."

**--**

Clicking the lamps off, Naminé poured herself a small cup of milk and heated it up in the microwave. Waiting for it to finish its cycle, the twenty-year-old went over to her bedroom windowsill and sat there. As she gazed at the stars, they all traced themselves into someone familiar.

**Roxas**…

Thinking about him reminded Naminé of the time capsule box he left behind earlier that day. The young woman pressured the boards in the right place and a small compartment was revealed under the wooden floor of her room.

The moonlight was Naminé's only source of illumination, but it would suffice. She lifted the top and gazed at the contents. A smile graced her lips; it was filled with childhood memories from so long ago. Seeing them had comforted her bruised heart, how could she have forgotten those cherished times?

"_There's that ice cream cone Roxas and I ended up sharing because there was only one left. The wisteria flower that got caught in my hair…that happened when Roxas and I went to the gardens. And these photos…"_ Thinking of past experiences reminded her of the white rose Roxas gave her today. Setting the box aside, Namine went to her dresser and picked up the rose from an old flower vase.

Admiring the rose's simple and picturesque beauty, Naminé went to her closet and pulled out a different glass vase.

It was given to her from Belle who informed her that Beast no longer needed it. Wiping the dust off, the 20-year-old put the rose in the glass vase on the windowsill. "Perfect."

The winds picked up outside the opened window and Naminé felt goosebumps creeping around her arms and legs. Roxas indigo jacket had been wrapped around herself to shield from the cold. She breathed in a familiar scent that encircled around the article of clothing.

It was distinctly him, and also smelt of masculine cologne—but mostly Roxas. Naminé was no longer cold the remainder of the ravenous night.

Without noticing, Naminé had fallen asleep at the large window with her arms supporting her head in a comfortable position.

Ironically, Roxas had been stargazing and dreaming of seeing Naminé also. He had fallen asleep in a similar position, except Roxas' head was cushioned upon a pillow. A shooting star had streamed down the night sky and painted it with cosmic colors.

_Tomorrow shall be the start of a new day._

* * *

A word from the author…

Lemme tell you, this story is starting to feel quite predictable huh? And can we say cliché at the end? I dunno how many times I've seen or read something like that. Oh well, I just felt it would be a good ending and nice touch to the mood. Poor Roxas and Naminé, it also makes me think about Romeo and Juliet a little too…

Stay tuned for chapter four! This next one will be good; I've already got plenty of ideas for it.


	4. I Can't Love You

Since I just scored eight whole reviews with the first three chapters of this wonderful story, I plan on at least getting twenty with the next few chapters as well. Enjoy!!

Princess Io

* * *

**Four: "I Can't Love You"**

It's been a few weeks since Roxas and Naminé's last meeting. Sora couldn't help but feel a bit aggravated. Here was his best friend Roxas: pensive, a lone wolf, yet someone with a soft side and a shining personality, but with the mentality—when it comes to romance—of a thirteen-year-old.

A thirteen-year-old teenager hormonally confused and just plain retarded because of a certain woman who has always captivated his very soul. And maybe that was also why Sora was feeling a bit frustrated and on edge; Roxas was in love and couldn't figure out why to save his life!

No matter how intelligent Roxas was, he was still completely aloof and unaware of the opportunity he has by getting Naminé back. _"But no, he says, 'Naminé has a boyfriend and I have no right to be with her.' What a bunch of utter crap!"_ Sora closed his eyes.

"Sora…you can't be so hard on Roxas. He's only being a gentleman and respecting the fact that Hiro is Naminé's boyfriend. Please, leave them be for a while okay?" Kairi's voice rung in a rhythmic tone of understanding. Sighing, Sora couldn't help but agree with his girlfriend's judicious words.

"I guess you're right Kai." Sora uncrossed his arms and pulled the scarlet haired woman toward him in an embrace. He quietly ran his fingers through Kairi's hair while securing his opposite hand around her waist.

"You know…Roxas wasn't this way all the time. He's probably just stressed." Kairi nodded knowingly, looking out the window and watching a small bird nest being made by two sparrows. One of Sora's hands came up to Kairi's chin and turned her face toward him.

"Yeah…"

Sora decided to take his mind off Roxas and focusing on his Princess of Heart. Suddenly interested in Sora's affection, Kairi brought her right hand up and dove it into his brunette tresses, the silky locks flowing through each of her digits.

"AHEM!"

Riku made his entrance and leaned against the inner opening of the front door. A self-assured smirk was plastered across his lips and an indefinite flicker of mischief sparkled in his irises. He had something to say, and Sora and Kairi weren't prepared.

His smile gradually spread from ear to ear with each passing second, Riku closed his eyes before chuckling.

"Look, it's all fine and dandy except—oh I dunno, maybe you two should be focusing on **Roxas and Naminé's love story** perhaps?"

Failing to notice the current position the couple had remained in since Riku's interruption, Sora was the first one to speak. "It's…not what you think Riku! We were—" Nodding vigorously, Kairi barely mustered up to agreement.

"We were trying to find a way to help Roxas and Naminé get together and—"

"Exactly! And—"

"Yeah sure."

Sora stared at his fellow keyblade wielder in utter embarrassment. Kairi followed suit and turned a dark maroon; the same shade as her mid-length locks. Riku knew that he got them right on the dot, and was congratulating himself for it by embarrassing his best friends.

Stepping from behind Riku, Trinity gave her boyfriend 'the look'. Pulling on his ear and pinching his arm, she looked apologetically to the stationary couple.

"Sorry guys. Sometimes he gets outta hand and into people's business like he shouldn't be doing right now." Shaking her head, she ignored the whimpering protests of a vulnerable Riku.

"C'mon Trinity! Let go of me! I'm not an eight year old."

"To me you still are if you're going to act that way."

"Well I never—"

The two continued squabbling at each other. Kairi and Sora had composed themselves in that time frame and looked at one another. Kairi lightly smiled and then giggled at Riku squirming under Trinity's control. Sora winced a bit just to mock his best friend before chuckling.

"You guys can go to hell!" Riku said irritably, waving his fist in the air for emphasis.

"Riku!"

* * *

"…That's how your day with Naminé went huh?" Hayner casually asked, flipping through a magazine. The blonde sighed and leaned against his hand and elbow propped up on the armrest of Roxas' couch. One foot was lazily draped over the opposite armrest while his other was on the carpet.

Roxas came into the living room drinking a water bottle. He had come back form his morning run from his apartment to the pier, the University and back.

A white hand towel had been around his neck and his gray tank top was darker in the places he had sweated. Reluctantly, his black basketball shorts that reached exactly below his knees weren't too dirty.

After kicking off his track shoes, Roxas' feet covered in black socks quietly padded against his olive carpet as he plopped himself onto another couch. "Mmm." Snapping the cap on his water bottle, Roxas wiped some sweat off his forehead before continuing.

"By the way, any idea where Olette and Pence are today?"

"P-man's with Sakuya today—date for them actually. Olette…Oh yeah, spending the day with her kid sister and helping her prepare for the Oblivion Oath Academy entrance exams. Going to Traverse High was too _public_ of a school for her."

"You mean the sister said that?"

"Yep."

"Let me guess…she's a genius like Olette?"

"Bingo. And only thirteen, she started early."

"Geez, that screams overachiever."

"Sisters."

"Again, bingo."

Shaking his head, Roxas decided to change the subject as he craned his neck to one side, rubbing a sore spot. After talking about how to solve this mess he was in, Hayner decided to leave with Pence that night. Luckily for Roxas had a day off work and no class Saturday—but he had to work on Sunday.

--

Roxas walked through his room and sat on the side of his bed. His drifting sight caught the attention of a framed picture on his nightstand. Picking the frame up, a smile slowly spread across his tired visage; it was a photo of himself and Naminé.

The photo had been when the two were seniors in high school. The memory of that day was still fresh in Roxas' mind. They had just celebrated Riku's nineteenth birthday at his parents' mansion. The place was huge and looked like a painting of brilliance. After everyone else left, both Roxas and Naminé volunteered to help cleanup with Riku.

A little while later, Naminé asked if she could get a picture of herself with him. Roxas complied and they had Riku take it. Before the camera flashed, Naminé quickly kissed Roxas on the cheek. He hadn't realized what happened during that split second before the flash. He just shrugged and went home.

The photo was amazing, and always made Roxas think about a lot of the things he did when he was a rambunctious teenager. He often wondered why he was so oblivious to Naminé's feelings toward him.

Every time he thought the blond haired girl, he wouldn't know if whether or not he should shout for joy, or frown out of sadness. The woman was so complicated; she was so challenging to figure out.

He began nodding off, and slowly placed the framed picture back in its rightful place before standing up again. Roxas rubbed where his shoulder and neck met and then threw the towel into his laundry basket.

Roxas glanced at his clock while lazily dressing himself in a pair of black sweats over his boxers. 11:40pm glared in large red digital numbers.

"_Damn! That late already?"_ He yawned, feeling no need to put on a shirt, he got under his sheets and turned out the light in his nearby lamp.

* * *

"Morning, pumpkin." Hiro beamed enthusiastically, quickly pecking his girlfriend before going back to the stove in her kitchen.

"Wha? How did—" she was taken aback, not from the greeting, but the change in his attitude from a week and a half ago. He was…different. Naminé couldn't think of what, but decided not to ponder and just made her way to the small table in her dining room.

"You gave me a key to your apartment remember? I gave you one to mine too." Hiro answered, flipping a pancake while cracking two eggs in the opposite hand. Apparently, he arrived early before Naminé awoke and was preparing breakfast for them.

"Oh. Right." Naminé said quietly to herself, pulling her hair up into a messy bun that left some of her bangs in front of her face. She was still tired from last night. All she did was come home after rehearsal, eat cold pizza for dinner, take a bubble bath and sleep for a few hours.

Nonetheless, Naminé admitted to herself this was definitely a fresh start of a new day. Thank goodness she had a day off from work and school.

"I'd like to start over sweetie." Hiro said while serving Naminé her plate of mouth-watering food. "I guess I was just angry over the fact that you didn't tell me you were doing something important. But I give you the benefit of the doubt because of your busy schedule these past few months."

"It's okay Hiro-kun." Naminé said, cutting into her buttermilk pancakes and spread maple syrup in convoluted patterns. She felt a hand cover her own, causing Naminé to look up from surprise.

"No, really. I screwed up for yelling at you, it's not right for any man to yell or inflict physical pain upon the people they hold most dear." Hiro held a stoic expression, his eyes shining with utter certainty. He gave her a small smile before turning his attention to his plate of breakfast.

Nodding in agreement, Naminé continued eating her pancakes. The two ate in silence, partly because they were eating and also because neither had anything to say to the other.

"I have a favor to ask you honey." Hiro finished eating the last piece of his pancakes and set his silverware at the tips of his plate.

"What is it?" Taking a sip of her orange juice, Naminé patiently waited for Hiro to finish his sentence.

"I want you to stop seeing Roxas."

Nearly choking on her beverage, Naminé managed to swallow what was stuck in her esophagus. "Excuse me?"

"I don't want you to see him anymore. He's interfering with our relationship and I feel he may be threatening it also."

Naminé couldn't believe what she was hearing. She is not being allowed to see Roxas anymore. Just thinking about it made her feel sick to her stomach. It was an awful feeling, and Naminé couldn't bear it.

"W-why?" her cobalt pupils met Hiro's stoic maroon.

"I already told you why Namine. I doubt being anymore blunt with you."

"I don't understand Hiro…w-why—" Naminé didn't get a chance to answer back. Hiro was already by her side, looking down at his girlfriend with an unreadable expression upon his face.

It was then that he did the most unexpected thing to Naminé since the time they have been together. As Hiro got down on one knee, his eyes still connected to his girlfriend's as he reached into the side of his black slacks.

Grabbing one of Naminé's dainty hands, he kissed it with sincerity. "I've waited so long for this moment to happen—and now it will today. Today, we will make history Naminé."

"_What are you talking about?"_ she stared wide-eyed, still unable to comprehend what Hiro was saying. Her opposite hand was clenching her sea foam nightdress and her toes in her white knee high socks curled from anticipation. Naminé's heart began to gradually beat faster with each passing moment.

"Miss Naminé Hoshi…" Hiro started, finally pulling out a small white box that sat perfect in the middle of his large palm. Letting go of her hand he slowly opened the box for her to see what was inside. "Will you marry me?"

Naminé wasn't sure if whether or not her heart had stopped or if she had been frozen in time. _"WHAT?"_ Her right hand was clenched near her heart while Hiro grabbed her left hand tenderly and kissed it. Naminé's view went from her hand to the luminous canary yellow jewel perched upon a silver band in the box.

It was such an exquisite sight; Naminé couldn't describe it with words. Two slightly smaller diamonds that complimented the beautiful topaz were also on either side of the jewel. It was so perfect; more than what Naminé had imagined what her engagement ring would envision to be.

Slipping the ring upon her right ring finger, Hiro held both of her hands as he stood up, taking his girlfriend with him. "Will you?" he asked again, an ember of desperation in his eyes. Naminé was uncertain of her decision, for she couldn't say a word.

"I…I…"

"_Yes or no?" _her mind said. _"Yes; and you'll get the happiest life with someone you love."_

"_Yes or no?"_ her heart repeated. _"No; and you'll get another chance with Roxas, but hurt Hiro in the process."_

"_Which are you willing to sacrifice for your own gain?"_

Naminé didn't know what was right anymore. One told her to say yes, while the other said no. She was in love with her boyfriend Hiro, but also with her best friend Roxas.

Hiro Takamura; heir to Takamura Industries and Naminé's first boyfriend. Sophisticated, suave, an attentive boyfriend, and romantic in every way. From her first date with him to now, he's done so much for her, not to mention love her with everything he has to offer.

Naminé shared her first kiss with him and met his parents who have approved of her before she even knew about them. He took days off work just to spend them with his girlfriend all the while focusing on school and other daily matters. And when he couldn't, Hiro's younger sister Karin would always insist on playing with Naminé and call her "big sis".

Roxas Awayuki; Naminé's childhood friend whom she has recently fallen in love with. Mysterious, fun-loving, unpredictable and yet understanding. Naminé has known him since five, and from then on the two were inseparable. He taught her that it's ok for a girl to act like a boy and to get her hands dirty.

On rainy days when she was sick, Roxas would nurture her back to health by arriving in the middle of the night. Most of the time her parents were away overseas and would leave Roxas in charge of Naminé. He would give her medicine or even cook her bowl of chicken and broccoli noodle soup: her favorite kind of soup.

And all that Naminé could think of was that she had fallen deeply in love with both men. They had grown close to her heart as well as winning it as a bonus. Could it have been an accident for her to love both of them? To be in love with one while the other just stood there and let it happen?

Why?

Because both men seemed to have different impacts upon her mind and soul. She faced a devastating decision she was hesitant to answer…

To wed her boyfriend and lose Roxas? Or rekindle a relationship with her best friend? Her mind reeled hysterically and she had no idea how to solve her crisis.

Hiro Takamura…

**Naminé Takamura**…

Roxas Awayuki…

Hiro…

Or…

Roxas?

"Naminé? Are you okay darling?" An endearing voice asked, lightly shaking Naminé by her shoulders.

Naminé looked up at Hiro once more. Everything she had been thinking of had disappeared in a flash. Her eyes were searching for something…anything! But there wasn't the once indication of hope and joy in Hiro's eyes anymore. She couldn't find it and felt so lost.

"Y-yes…" she whispered, almost mistaken that voice didn't belong to her.

"You will? Oh Naminé! This is spectacular! I love you so much!" he said happily, pulling her into a tight hug. He was too happy to even notice that she wasn't returning his embrace. Her arms fell to her sides, attempting to grasp the air and instead coming up empty.

Tears started to erupt from her poignant pupils. Were they tears of delight…or tears of sorrow? She couldn't tell which one. "Naminé." She quickly wiped them away to keep Hiro from seeing them and then pulled back.

"I'm sorry, but my choice for you to not see Roxas anymore is still final."

Her eyes widened from the recall of his words. Kissing her forehead, Hiro's expression altered. "Now that you're my fiancée, I cannot permit you to ever speak to him again."

As his lips brushed her own, he kissed her with such ferocity, as if she were no longer a person, but instead property to him. Naminé didn't object, but chose not to participate. She just…didn't have the heart reciprocate Hiro's kiss.

Pulling back, Hiro stared hard at his fiancée. He frowned, not because of the one-sided kiss, but because Naminé's mind had been somewhere else every time he was present. "Are you ok?" Hiro asked cautiously.

Blinking, Naminé shook her head. "I'm just…having an off today Hiro. Don't worry about me, I'll be alright ok?" She said convincingly, shuffling away to her bedroom to get dressed.

"_Maybe she still a but shocked from my proposal. But nonetheless, she said yes. And that's all that matters. Now to tell my parents."_

Hiro smiled reluctantly, grabbing his keys from the counter and calling a quick good-bye to his fiancé and then leaving.

--

After hearing Hiro leave, Naminé sighed, clutching her cell phone before flipping it open and dialing a number. Clicking it to speakerphone, she patiently waited for someone to answer while she was getting dressed. Slipping on a peach spaghetti strap shirt and a pair of Lucky jeans, the phone finally clicked again.

"_Hello?"_

"Roxas?"

"_Naminé! Hey, how have you been?"_

"Just fine. You stacked up for today?" she was hoping he would say yes so that she wouldn't have to tell him heart-breaking news.

"_Not really…just need to pick something up for Riku at the store. But other than that I'm totally free. So what's up?"_ Roxas' voice sounded laid back, no suspicion in his tone.

"Well, I have something important to tell you, and it can't wait. Meet me at Wisteria Gardens?" Again, she hoped for him to say that he can't.

"_Uh…sure. Sounds good. How about three?"_

"Ok then. See you soon."

"_Okay Naminé. Later."_

Click.

Letting out a breath she had been holding, Naminé closed her cell phone and finished getting dressed. Before leaving, she glanced at the navy jacket Roxas had given her a couple weeks ago after their day together.

Wrapping it around her once more, she smelled the same scent that always reminded her of the forest and something that was distinctly Roxas. She took her keys and then reached for her doorknob.

The engagement ring caught her eye, the jeweled ring shining in all its glory. Ignoring it she left her apartment and walked down her driveway.

--

Leaning against his scarlet convertible, Roxas shoved his hands in the pockets of his ripped Hollister jeans. He gazed at the afternoon sky; the familiar colors of ginger, pink and white were mixing together. The simple and melancholy shades somehow reminded Roxas of Naminé.

Hearing another car drive up, he looked over and saw a blond female come out of a silver Mercedes. Flipping her Chanelsunglasses on top of her head, Naminé gave Roxas a small smile.

"Hi."

"Hey."

"Can we talk inside the gardens instead of in the parking lot?"

He shrugged. "Sure."

The two took a seat on a bench near a small pond. Putting his arms on the back of the bench, Roxas turned his head to look at Naminé. "Something you wanted to tell me?" he started up the conversation. Naminé clenched her hands together, discreetly covering her engagement ring that she forgot to hide in her car.

"W-well…" It was so hard to tell him. How would he react to her engagement? Would he shout in anger, cringe in pain, look away in utter disappointment or just be silent and congratulate her? She hoped none of those, but one of them was also likely to happen.

"Does it have to do with Takamura?" Roxas got to the point, his voice dropping dangerously low. He closed his eyes to wait for a response.

"K-kind of…"

"What happened?"

Naminé froze, her throat constricting her to speak. Sweat began rolling slowly down the side of her face and her palms began getting moist with anxiety. _"Here goes nothing…"_

"Hiro…proposed to me this morning…"

"And?" he probed; concealing the fact he was upset.

"And I…" she clamped her eyes shut, regretting her resolution to say yes to Hiro's proposal so quickly.

"You said yes didn't you?" Roxas' heart throbbed painfully against his chest. He reached across and took Naminé's right hand and held it up for both to see.

The topaz and identical diamonds twinkled as he stared at the ring around Naminé's finger. Naminé cast her eyes away and could feel tears threatening to rupture.

"Congratulations."

She looked at Roxas with a distraught expression. Blinking rapidly, she stared back at his cold artic irises, searching for refuge. When he returned nothing, he forced a small smile before letting go of her hand.

He stood up, and shoved his hands into his pockets again. Roxas turned away and began walking the opposite direction for an exit.

Just to make things worse that day, it began raining hard. Roxas hadn't brought a jacket, but was too angry and depressed to even notice the freezing water pour upon him. Naminé's tears mixed with the rain while she abandoned the bench and ran after Roxas.

He was so far away, walking and creating distance between them. Roxas wanted to turn around and tell her it was okay. But not this time, she decided to marry someone else and just tossed his love for her away like it was nothing.

The downpour pulverized the concrete and echoed in her ears with each step she took. Naminé forcefully turned him around and failed to notice his jacket had fallen off her shoulders. It had been discarded on the ground, lifeless on the concrete.

Naminé stood on the tips of her toes and pressed her body as well as her lips against Roxas. Her eyes were shut tight and she lightly placed her hands on his chest, ready for Roxas to push her away. Maybe by now he would be too disgusted to even touch her.

Instead, Roxas was stiff with surprise, an unexpected feeling overwhelming him. It began gnawing at his side, and he couldn't take it anymore. Roxas wrapped his hands around her waist as he tried his best to shield her body from the lethal showers. He moved his warm lips against her cold ones, creating heat between their bodies.

The two held themselves frantically against each other, crushing their bodies as if they weren't close enough. Both came up for air and a split second later dove into another kiss.

--

Naminé slowly opened her eyes and looked at a ceiling she didn't recognize. _"Where am I?"_ She remembered some fractures of memories. There was the meeting with Roxas, then the announcement, it rained—her car!

"Don't worry about it. I had your car towed here, we're at my apartment." He came out of his kitchen with a cup of green tea and some clothing.

"You passed out from exhaustion and the raining outside. I guess we were out there too late." He chuckled a bit. "After you finish this, you can shower and then wear these. They don't fit me anymore so you should be able to."

Nodding obediently, Naminé took the cup of tea and began drinking the contents. Roxas walked away to his closet and tossed a couple towels onto the couch that Naminé was sitting at.

"You're pretty dry now, but you soaked my couch cushions." Roxas mumbled.

Naminé set the cup onto the coffee table and asked where the bathroom was. Roxas directed her and she took the pile of clothes and towels to reach her destination.

Turning on the faucet, warm water came out through the nozzle of the showerhead and Naminé quickly shed her clothing. She finished her shower and finger combed through her tangled locks.

Roxas was sitting on his bedroom windowsill and Naminé joined him. "Do you always come here to gaze at the stars?" Resting one hand on his knee, Roxas turned his head toward Naminé.

She was wearing a white t-shirt a few sizes too big for her, as well as his old gray basketball shorts that reached a few inches past her knees. No mater how baggy his old clothes looked on her, she was still gorgeous.

"…Helps me think."

Naminé sat on the other side, tucking her knees and legs close to her and wrapping her arms around them. Both were silent, distracted by the twinkling stars that glistened in the shadowy heavens.

The two were trapped inside of their own thoughts; one thinking about her engagement while the other in despair for losing the one thing most important him.

"Well…I should go home now. It's already really late, and I have to prepare for tomorrow. I'll return these as soon as I can ok?" Namine said, stepping off the ledge. As she turned to leave, Roxas watched her retreating figure before getting up and following her out.

He abruptly stopped her from exiting his room by grabbing her waist. Roxas pulled her figure toward his bare chest, and Naminé grew rigid from the heated contact. She was starting to melt—from his hands pulling her flush against him, to his soft face buried in the crook of her neck.

Naminé didn't want to pull away from this, this feeling of being safe; but she had to leave or she'd make another mistake again.

"It's still raining outside." He whispered, breathing in her intoxicating scent. His breath slowly spread across the nape of her neck, and Naminé's shoulders started shaking. She had to find a way of escape, but didn't have enough willpower to resist Roxas' seductive charm.

"Roxas…I…have—"

"Stay. Just one last night, then we can be strangers tomorrow."

Roxas' hands traveled from their previous spot around her slim waist to the tops of her shoulders. He hastily turned her around placed a sweet kiss upon her candy-shaded lips. Naminé's hands framed his face as she pushed her body even closer to Roxas. He picked her up and lightly laid her on his bed.

Roxas looked down at the woman he had come to love for so long. They knew this would be the last time to see one another before disappearing into the world once more. She was to be married to another man while he goes on in life alone and heartbroken.

"I'm sorry," she said, closing her eyes in grief.

"There's no need. I was too late." he regretted, cupping her face and stroking her cheek.

"Roxas…I can't love you."

"I know. But I will still love you, even though you'll be married soon. All I wish is for you to be happy, even if it's not with me." Roxas built up a lot of courage to say that, but now that he confessed he was content.

"How can I be happy without you?"

Roxas refused to answer and instead kissed her with such urgency and desperation. She kissed back, tracing her hands on his muscles, each one rippling beneath her touch.

Roxas sucked in a breath as Naminé's hand came down to his lower stomach. He looked at her with uncertainty, and gingerly took her hand up to his face.

"We can't." Roxas kissed her hand, taking the engagement ring off and setting it on his nightstand.

She nodded, "I know…I couldn't control myself."

Both young adults committed a terrible act, an act of forbidden love. Neither cared; they were in a dream they never wanted to end.

"I love you…"

"…My Naminé."

Naminé was asleep; her golden hair spread out and contrasted Roxas' black and white sheets. He sat up, brushing a few strands of hair away from her face. He marveled at her beauty, wondering how such a soft-spoken woman could always make him weak in the knees.

Some sweat had stained his bedding, but Roxas disregarded it. Naminé was here and he needed nothing else. They didn't make love, but it didn't matter, spending one last night with her was good enough.

Roxas sighed, pushing up his black sheet to cover Naminé's chest from view. Lying down, Roxas stared at the ceiling before wrapping his hands around Naminé's waist and following her into a deep sleep.

_Stay here with me and never let go._

* * *

A word from the author…

Finally! This chapter was little hard to put together, but I've done it! I must say I wasn't able to do much of anything else until this dang chapter was completed. And I've also got many plans for this wonderful story.


	5. Stop, Drop and Drink? Part I

Enjoy reading; hope you like it.

Princess Io

* * *

**Five: Stop, Drop and Drink? (Part I)**

"Are you awake?"

_That voice…sounds…familiar._

"Naminé?" Her name rolled off the voice's tongue like smooth silk. She felt a pair of lips softly press hers thereafter. It was a wonderful sensation, a warm and tingling feeling welling up inside the pit of her stomach.

Naminé's eyes fluttered open to reveal a handsome Roxas. "Slept well?" she asked, leaning up to kiss those luscious lips again. He returned it much to her great delight and it was too good to be true. She just couldn't get enough, until she remembered where she was.

This wasn't a dream; **last night** wasn't a dream.

Gasping, Naminé sat up before accidentally pushing Roxas hard enough for him to fall off the bed and onto the carpeted floor. The young woman hastily pushed her hair behind her ears and then rubbed her eyes from sleepiness. The clock glared madly at the girl that morning: 10:05am.

Crap!

Biting her lip, Naminé stared at the ceiling, eyes whirling for a quick solution.

"_What am I going to do?"_ A pair of strong (not to mention fine-looking) arms encircled her waist and pulled her backwards. Roxas' sensitive lips kissed Naminé's cheek and whispered in her ear.

"You're not going anywhere angel." his sultry voice purred. She sucked in air and suddenly felt a breeze caress her bare skin. She never knew Roxas' room was so cold in the morning….

_Wait a minute…_

_But, that can't be right…_

_I was wearing Roxas' sh--_

Naminé looked down and only saw her champagne bra and black and white sheets covering she lower body. "Where's my shirt?" she panicked, attempting to conceal herself from further embarrassment.

The girl heard Roxas chuckle, clearly amused by her sudden outburst. He snuggled into Naminé's neck, his eyes closed and tranquil in his position.

"Don't you remember what happened last night?"

Images flashed back into her mind. Oh yeah…now she knew why.

**--**

Since their departure, things went along at a slower pace than usual. When she said that final good-bye, it felt more like a farewell. A farewell that stabbed his glass heart repeatedly and screamed, _"I'll never see you again."_

Sure, it hurt the most when she walked away, and the pain had not subsided. But the fact that he thought about her every waking moment was starting to develop an emotional scar.

"Yo, Rox. What's going on?" Hayner asked, putting a hand on Roxas' shoulder. He caught him in the middle of his lunch break. Roxas had barely touched his burger and fries because a certain someone was on his mind. Sighing, Roxas languidly gazed at his friend and leaned his head on his hand.

"I have an entire list of things gone wrong. Care to join me?" Roxas asked sarcastically, sighing again and checking his clock on his cell phone.

It had been only two weeks, surprisingly dragging Roxas into mid March. He had hardly noticed because of what happened within those two weeks.

Roxas was late twice for work, once for five minutes and the other half an hour. But because his father was a friend with the owner of the bookstore, he let them slide instead of getting written up.

He was also late for class, which only made things worse because two people whom he won't mention were in three of his classes. To summarize, Roxas' life was hell and he didn't do anything to make it any better.

His friends also noticed his depression. When they would go out to the beach or the Destiny Bean, the twenty year old was usually by himself or staring at the sky. It was so quiet, so lifeless.

Sora wanted to smack some sense into him, but Kairi told him to leave Roxas be. It's not everyday the girl you fall in love with is gone because she getting married to someone else.

One Friday afternoon, Roxas had just finished his shift and clocked out of work. Exiting, Roxas checked his cell and texted Sora and Riku.

_You guys free today?  
-R_

It took a few moments, but soon he got a response.

_I'm free Rox. Kai's outta town with her parents.  
-S_

_Me too. Trinity went with Sakuya and Olette to the mall and said they'll be out the entire day.  
-Riku_

For once, Roxas could do something without having to think of Naminé. Getting into his car, Roxas took a bite of his toast before texting again.

_Got any preferences? Just got my paycheck today, and I'm planning on spending some of it after I deposit it in my account.  
-R_

_Me too. I'll go wherever you guys go.  
-S_

_How about that new place that just opened up? What was it called…The Golden Saucer I think? Heard it's got a great arcade, buffet and a club that'll have its Grand Opening tonight!  
-Riku_

_Dude, it's exclusive, there's no way we'll get in.  
-S_

_I'm with Sora on this…unless we have passes or you know someone on the inside, there's no way we'll even get past security.  
-R_

Silence. Roxas quickly makes a left turn toward his apartment and eating another piece of his bread.

_Oh ye of little faith and brains. Need I inform you two that Trinity's brother works there as a DJ? He'll be there around ten. So we'll meet at my house around nine thirty. By the way, Pence and Hayner are already there I think…it'll be easy to spot them.  
-Riku_

_Sounds cool. Count me in.  
-R_

_Her brother works there?! Awesome! I'm in too. But I'm going to drive, something tells me you two are going to drink over there… especially Roxas. For the past few weeks you been way out of focus, it'll be reasonable if you drank to your hearts' content after all.  
-S_

Roxas could tell Sora was being serious, and maybe even completely right this time. Having a drink or two sounded pretty inviting; after all it may just get **her** off his mind for once.

Just thinking about her now made his frown even deeper. _"Ugh…need a cold shower…"_

_Okay then. Don't take too long.  
-Riku_

Click.

Stepping indolently out of his car and slamming his door with no mercy, Roxas could feel a slight headache. "Must be from working for so many hours these past few weeks…" he mumbled under his breath, and then walked into his apartment to get ready for tonight.

**--**

As he emerged from the bathroom, Roxas felt much more refreshed than earlier that day. He had a hard and painfully dreadful day, but now he was going to enjoy Friday night with just the guys. Walking into his fairly large closet, Roxas contemplated on what to wear.

After debating with himself, Roxas came to a final decision. Even though he was going to a famous—and popular—club, he was still going to look good while drinking for the first time and playing video games until he passed out or something.

Glancing at his clock, it ticked with dignity and confidence: 8:45pm. _"Sweet! Still got loads of time!"_ he thought.

Checking himself out on his mirror, Roxas couldn't be anymore impressed by his extravagant choice of clothing. His brand new pair of black Puma shoes had a white stripe going through the middle and went well with his black ankle socks.

After just drying them, his pair of American Eagle jeans seemed to give away a laid back but classic look to Roxas. To secure his jeans he wore a simple Hollister belt that hugged his hips comfortably.

To conceal his upper body, Roxas wore a black tank top with an emerald Puma long sleeve jacket with a black stripe down both arms to the wrists. He thought it would look better to keep his jacket open because of how hot the club might get after a while.

As a lasting touch, Roxas wore his silver chained necklace with two Oathkeeper and Oblivion keyblades dangling on the chain.

With eyes filled with enthusiasm, Roxas made sure not a single hair was out of place (as if that's possible) and sprayed on special cologne he hadn't opened yet. It smelled sophisticating, but above all alluring and mischievous, just the way he wanted it.

_Beep!_

_Beep!_

His phone was vibrating and playing the song "My Obsession". Straightening himself out, Roxas grabbed his cell on his nightstand. "What's up Sora?" he answered, clicking the phone on speakerphone.

"_Just letting you know that you gotta speed things up here. The girls at the club will already know we're down-to-the-bone sexy alright?"_

Roxas could instantly tell he was throwing out a sarcastic remark, a wide smirk painted upon Sora's masculine features.

"Ha ha…Listen, I just want to have a good time over there. I haven't had a good time since—"

"_Since you almost __**WOOHOOED**__ Namine?"_

"You're lucky you're not standing right next to me. Because I would've beaten your sorry a—"

"_Tsk tsk tsk. Such harsh and vulgar choice of words…what would I do with you?"_

"Spit it out. Anything else?"

Clearly, Roxas was getting a bit impatient and obviously irritated. That was one thing that Sora somewhat lacked in, he had tendencies to always beat around the bush. Oh well…everyone has habits that aren't necessarily the best of characteristics.

"_Can't take a joke? Geez, lighten up…Anyway, you gotta get ready to leave soon, it's already 9:10pm."_

"Okay then. See you there."

Click.

* * *

"Here."

Handing the passes to Sora and Roxas, Riku informed them all the details of the Gold Saucer. From going to the Kosmik Starr Klub to playing the video games in the Arcade Abyss.

Sora was obviously ecstatic for spending the entire evening with his best friends for a while. Roxas was also, and hoping this night will heal him from his grief.

As they arrived in Riku's silver Mercedes, there was a large crowd at the very entrance of the Gold Saucer. It looked like a popular band was in town and holding a concert in the brand new building.

"Looks like they hadn't opened the place up yet." Riku said, rolling down his window and glanced at his watch. The place didn't open until ten, and right now it was only fifteen minutes until the Grand Opening commenced.

After moments of waiting, the ribbon cut by the owner. People rushed in like a catastrophe was going to happen that very second. Fortunately, no one was hurt in the rampaging herd, and the three men calmly walked inside.

"I'm making my way to the arcade, I'll meet up with you guys at the club later!" Sora announced, waving to his best friends as he ran off in a different direction. Riku waved back and Roxas followed.

As soon as Roxas and Riku reached a long hallway leading to the Kosmik Starr, they were met with an endless line of people. Some were playing cards while sitting on the floor, others were either asleep, talking or reading a book.

"Oh man! Now what?" Roxas said, a bit disappointed and crossing his arms. Riku rolled his eyes, shaking his head before walking all the way to the front of the line.

"What are you doing?" Roxas asked, catching up to the silver haired man. Riku smirked, confidence written upon his features. He approached the door, only to be stopped by two large and tall security guards.

"Hey buddy, back of the line. You can wait like everybody else."

Quirking an eyebrow, Riku exaggerated a sigh; he was putting on an act. "That's too bad. But I'm sure you're familiar with my two good friends right?" Showing his exclusive pass and motioning Roxas to show his, the guards remained speechless.

"Nice try. But we know the difference between what's real and what's not." One perked up, snatching Riku's pass and checking it to be right.

Riku was patiently waiting, putting his hands behind his head and then looking over at a nervous Roxas. _"What's the matter with you?"_ He whispered.

"I don't want to get thrown out because of you moron!" Roxas said crossly, shoving his hands in his pockets.

"Relax, got it all under control. Listen boys. My good friend Aidou works here as a DJ. And if I know him as well I do, he'll be coming out those very doors right this second." Riku said, his smile never faltering from its original position.

As he predicted, a man who stood at 6' 3" came through the door, instantly spotting Riku. "Riku! Hey man! How have you been?" Roxas was surprised seeing the guy Riku was talking about earlier.

"Just great Aidou. Remember Roxas? He's the guy I told you about a couple weeks ago." Riku said, shaking Hayate's hand firmly.

Aidou appeared to be at least twenty-four, if not a bit older. But one thing that seemed to catch Roxas' attention at the moment was his hair.

It was so interesting to glance at, because it was so unusual—more unusual than his own of course. Trinity's brother's hair looked as if a lightning bolt shocked him. The only thing not spiked up were two long bangs that tickled his collarbone.

His midnight ravenous hair was on the wild side because of his cerulean and ruby highlights. They were streaked in such a pattern; they mimicked the very movements of shadows on a bedroom wall that danced through the night in silence.

Roxas also noticed something strange from Aidou's eyes. He had seen Trinity's before and hers were shining a proud scarlet, whereas Aidou's very own irises stood out as silver and black, somewhat like his hair.

"Roxas right? I've heard a lot about you." Aidou introduced himself, knocking the young man out of his concentration.

"Oh really? Hopefully Riku hasn't said anything bad about me," he smiled, shaking Aidou's hand with and then entering the club without hesitation.

"Well…Let's just say he's had a lot of appealing stories to tell." Aidou looked over at Riku, giving him a sign and then continuing to push and shove through the crowd.

**--**

Maybe it was just the thunderous music, but Roxas couldn't help but truly feel happy being surrounded in an environment that doesn't keep him isolated. He ran into Hayner and Pence, discovering the two got in about a few minutes before he and Riku did. And they told him Sora came in also after playing plenty of video games to his heart's desire.

And another thing that surprised the blond was that Pence had made a name for himself as the Dancing Fiend. Apparently, after high school Pence got further training and developed his own style as well as a huge reputation in clubs all around from Traverse Town to the Midnight Alleys of Kai up north.

"_Amazing…"_ Roxas thought, taking a seat at the bar. Riku, who had disappeared for a certain length of time when they first entered the Kosmik Starr, quickly united with him.

"Enjoying yourself?"

"Uh huh."

"Not a single drink yet?" the silver haired man asked in disbelief.

"Uh…nope." Roxas answered bluntly, looking at the colorful bottles of alcohol on the shelves across from him.

"No way am I going to let you come back home sober. Remember? Sora's driving back, and as far as I know I can hold my liquor. So, I'll get one for you." Riku said, preventing a chance for Roxas to object.

Calling the bartender over, Riku hastily looked at the menu before putting the small card down. "I'll get some scotch with a Paopu Nitro. Squeeze some lemon in there, seeds and all. For my friend here, it's his first drink. So get him an Elixir Plus, easy on the cranberry boost and some sugar on the rim." Nodding, the bartender finished writing down the order and then going in the back to grab the right ingredients.

"What did you just order?" Roxas asked, a bit nervous for what he was going to be swallowing.

"A little friend of mine—my first drink to be frank. In fact, I ordered it exactly like this. No worries, you won't fall over or choke; it's really good once you get past the cranberry part. Gotta start slow on you." Riku smiled, looking at the ceiling.

The bartender came back with two large bottles and a bowl of lemons. As she put together the drinks she looked up and asked, "Hey stranger. Been around here before?" She was clearly being flirtatious, but Riku knew better.

Leaning over the table, Riku's suave voice came into effect. "I was at the one in Traverse Town. What can I say? I'd never forget an attractive face like yours." The bartender flushed to a bright pink, giggled and poured the scotch in a glass. Just to make her act even more forward, she whispered something in Riku's ear, faintly pushing her chest against him.

"_Oh brother…"_ Roxas rolled his eyes, checking his cell phone for the time.

"Sorry hunny—got myself a girlfriend already." Riku winked, grabbing his and Roxas' drinks. He set the Elixir Plus in front of Roxas and then pulled out a lemon. "It tastes better and washes out the boost if you have it with a slice of lemon."

Staring at his first drink, the liquid seemed inviting, but toxic. It fizzed a bit; the lime and aqua colored drink swirled in aimless circles. Riku explained he had to bite the lemon before chugging the entire alcoholic beverage. Then, he had to lick the sugar rim for an extra tang.

Roxas complied and carefully bit into the bitter yellow fruit. It made the inside of his mouth twist and churn in rejection, but the blond swallowed the pungent juice and hastily chugged the Elixir Plus. The fluid tasted like carbonated milk, whatever that was…it slid smoothly down his throat and finally settled at the pit of his stomach.

"Good?" Riku asked, eager for a reply.

Wiping his mouth with the back of his hand, Roxas turned to face his best friend. "Better than I expected." Smiling with approval, he clinked his empty glass on the counter to get the bartender's attention.

"Your choice this time." Riku offered, joining his glass with Roxas' on the counter.

* * *

Sometime later, Riku had left Roxas so he could go find Aidou. The twenty year old had already tried some Moogle Potion shots. He got the hang of putting salt on his wrist and then biting into a small slice of freshly harvested white and red Paopu fruit.

"_Damn myself for being such a quick learner…"_ he thought, looking through the empty shot glass like a kaleidoscope.

In the corner of his eye, he spotted a blond dot just a few seats down the bar. It appeared to be a woman who had just finished a drink. She certainly looked about his age, if not maybe even slightly younger than himself. His pupils sluggishly traced her figure, taking his sweet time undressing her mysterious body.

Her feet were adorned with simple high heels splashed with Vera Wang style and ribbons tied securely in place. Her ankles were so petite; he could probably take his third finger and thumb to wrap the digits effortlessly around that tiny circumference.

The woman's calves were lean and muscular, tantalizing Roxas' semi-drunk state even further on the edge. Traveling his eyes even further up, he was intrigued by her choice of outer clothing.

Her elongated legs shone a fair shade of skin, one leg crossed over one another delicately. The black dress she wore appeared quite provocative; it reached to just above her knees for free movement. The long slits on the sides gave her more variety and sensually coax Roxas to stare longer.

The young woman's top half of the dress had ties in the back of her neck like a halter-top. Although, it was obvious to Roxas the woman wasn't shy either. Her dress allowed a great amount of cleavage to be seen, but enough to cover them as well from illegal exposure to the general public.

She had a humbly shaped chest that gently pressed against the front every time she breathed deeply.

Roxas got a good look at her face, and it only made him feel all the more excited. Her profile imitated the loveliness of Aphrodite, her golden hair tied up with a long black ribbon that matched her clothing and shoes.

"Wow…" he licked his lips, interested by the physical appearance of the girl who sat nearby him. He had forgotten about the surrounding environment and solely focused on her.

She turned and faced him, her eyelashes fluttering seductively as they tickled the tops of her cheeks. Her pupils shined with familiar naivety and the element of surprise. Roxas leaned over so far forward; he fell clumsily out of his stool and onto the wooden floor with a loud thump.

He stood up quickly to compose himself and automatically smiling bashfully and shuffling his feet. He felt humiliated and ridiculous, but no one around him was sober enough to watch his silly act—except her. The girl giggled and stood up from her seat.

"Couldn't help but notice how you stared my way for some time."

"…It's not everyday you run into a sizzling vixen such as yourself."

"Compliments to the chef who served you sophisticated vocabulary. Any chance I could give him a tip?"

"That can be arranged. But I can't if I don't get a name in return."

The girl took a few more steps forward, balanced onto the tips of her toes and whispered in his ear. "Iena." For added effect, she kissed his neck before pulling back.

"Roxas." His name rolled off his tongue like fine silk.

"Dance with me?" Iena tugged on his hand.

"Let's go sweetheart."

**--**

The music continued pounding mercilessly in Sora's ears. He had arrived about half an hour after indulging himself with all the 'alcohol' he needed: video games at the arcade. The keyblade wielder glanced at his watch and noticed it was five minutes until midnight.

"_That long already? And there are still hundreds of people suffocating the club…"_

He took his time gazing around the new building, from the lights that emitted various colors to Aidou doing his thing at the top.

An idea hatched in his mind, and Sora found the staircase and climbed up to the higher level. "Aidou!" he greeted happily, getting the DJ's attention. Aidou turned, grasping Sora's hand and shaking it.

"How have you been kiddo?" he said, readjusting his headphones and then picking out a new record to mix.

"Great! Found anyone here? Riku? Pence? Hayner? Roxas?" Sora asked, leaning over the railing to scope for his best friends.

"Riku's somewhere over here, in fact I just talked to him right about when you came in I think. P-dancer took a break with Renyah and I think went to the arcade or something. Oxas with an R…hmm…haven't seen him in a while…I think the last I saw him was at the bar." Aidou yelled over the music, pointing in a random direction.

Faster than lightning, Sora quickly located a speck of dirty blond hair in the crowd. _"Don't worry about me Aidou…I just spotted our little friend."_

Quickly descending the stairs, Sora shoved his way through the crowd. He was stopped short, the very sight of what he saw made his jaw drop, his eyes expressing just how shocked he was feeling at the moment.

The scene was making Sora's eyes fry inside out. It was like a record scratching sound could be heard ringing throughout his ear canals. It was…

It was…

So…

"_WHAT THE HELL?!"_

* * *

"Yeah…so I'll talk to you tomorrow babe. Get some rest, you've been—" Riku stopped, re-entering the club only to be caught off guard by what his eyes were witnessing. In addition, he dropped his phone onto the ground without a second thought.

What only made matters worse, was a certain pair of aqua pupils gazing at the same sight. The young woman dropped her white Juicy Couture purse onto the club's hard floor.

No one else noticed what was going on except for those three who watched from different corners of the Kosmik Starr. She felt betrayal, and above all, a replay of the past.

Drunk and beyond rational thought, Roxas was dancing with someone he barely even knew. And yet, he showed no signs of pulling away, only to dance and just be with her. He had his hands around her lower waist and held the woman flush against his broad figure as they shimmied against the colorful music.

Iena wasn't complaining—in fact, you could tell she enjoyed the intimate contact. She had begun to sweat, the moist stream flowing down her neck and in between her cleavage.

Roxas was sweating as well, but too distracted with Iena to even notice. She had gently taken his chin into the palm of her hand, her face joining his. The two just stared at each other as their bodies rubbed against one another's. But something had struck the faded adult, her eyes.

They weren't…the color of the sea like his. He hadn't had a close look at them before, but he realized that she had fooled him. He had obviously mistaken her for someone else, someone very familiar.

Instead, they reflected a toxic violet that craved for Roxas. _"Namine?"_ His mind suddenly thought, but it was too late. Iena inched closer, her face still contorted in a slightly awkward position. Finally closing the distance between their lips, Iena and Roxas were in heaven.

He deftly brought his hands from her waist higher up her body until they tentatively touched her breasts. She brought her hands to his back end, pushing him impossibly closer as she swayed back and forth.

So…

Soft…

Like…

**Hers**…

Sora's jaw dropped to its farthest limits. Riku felt like punching himself, trying to wake up from this morbid nightmare. And Naminé…she didn't know what to think anymore. Roxas was **KISSING** a girl he didn't even know! He was drunk for Pete's sake and smacking lips with another woman. How much more wrong could this night get?

They kissed with more urgency and it was making Sora and Riku feel sick. Namine had enough, abandoning her purse, she stomped her way through the crowd to reach Roxas.

While this was happening, Hayner and Pence had arrived in time to catch a show. Hiro was nowhere to be found and witness the bittersweet emotions flow out of his fiancé.

As Namine got to Roxas and Iena, she roughly shoved them apart, causing their passionate kiss to end prematurely. Roxas, still in a state of drunkenness, looks over to where a certain someone may be. "Whut ze hell're doin'?" he asked, eyelids half open. He received a response, but not the one he expected.

**SLAP!**

Naminé was done. She couldn't hold her anger and self-control in anymore. She was in love with Roxas, as well as Hiro. But there was no way she was going to let Roxas destroy himself at The Kosmik Starr Klub. She took hold of his evergreen Puma jacket and shook him out of his wits.

"You _idiot_!" The woman yelled, gaining a few stares and whispers within the small crowd nearby. Still scorching with anger and hurt. She held back her tears; she never planned to breaking down in a place like this. Naminé regretted what she did, and looking at Roxas made her feel even sicker at how much of a stupid girl she is.

Once sober, Roxas winced at the searing pain that carved itself into his right cheek. It was a bright crimson, the blood rising to the surface, but not breaking any skin.

He slowly turned his head and was met with two indigo irises. His own eyes widened in surprise, he tried saying something—**anything**! No exchange of words, only stares.

As quick as his legs would travel, Roxas grabbed Naminé's hand and led her to an unknown location. Leaving the mess behind, only one thought crossed the blonde's mind: _**"What have I done?"**_

Back at the scene, Iena was frustrated, Sora still in a state of shock, and Riku slapping his forehead in utter disbelief. This was all WAY too confusing…what's going on?

* * *

As Roxas found a door in the back of the club, he opened the door; reluctant no one was occupying it and slammed the door behind him and Naminé. He locked the door without looking and then turned his attention at Naminé.

"I—" he started.

"I don't need a sorry Roxas! Why don't you go back with that woman you were kissing not to long ago?" she snatched he hand away.

Roxas tried reaching out to her, to say he was sorry, but Naminé didn't want any of it. She dodged his grasp every time, knowing that once he got to her she would be powerless. "You won't even let me explain?"

They kept throwing words at each other, Naminé running from Roxas, and he trying to catch her. After a whole half hour, Roxas wanted to rip his hair out of his scalp. A large loveseat was in between them and he expertly jumped over and pinned Namine to the carpeted floor.

"Let me go! You…womanizing…jerk!" she spat, flailing within his hard grasp.

Rolling his eyes in annoyance, Roxas lifted Naminé and tossed her over his shoulder. "Hey!" Ignoring her rants and complaints, the blond threw her onto the couch and loomed over her so there was no route of escape. Roxas could hear faint sniffling, but didn't ask the obvious question as to why she was crying.

He waited until she had finished her tantrum before speaking a word.

"Why are you here?"

Naminé turned away, two strands of hair falling on the side of the couch. "I came with Hiro," she mumbled.

"I see…" Calm, collected; yet burning with rage inside.

Silence.

"Oh. Already doing wedding plans?"

Such painful and words of regret.

"Yes…It's in June…"

June…in three months.

Naminé couldn't bare telling Roxas about sealing her own fate…so to speak. Sitting up, she hung her head low, unable to look her best friend in the eye. It hurt so much, too much for one person to hold onto. Naminé unconsciously pushed her black skirt down her thighs before speaking. "I have to go…"

Roxas had only moved back a bit to give her room, but couldn't move out of her way. There was no way he was planning on letting her leave, not this time. Not after…

"No. We…have to talk," he said, leaning forward and placing more pressure on his hands and knees.

Like any other hot-blooded female, Naminé leaned back, keeping the distance between their faces. "What's there to talk about? I'm getting married, and—" she dare not finish her sentence, Roxas understood.

"I don't care about any of that."

"Roxas…don't make this harder than it already is." At that, Naminé got off the couch and proceeded to her only exit.

Unfortunately, Roxas was quicker and blocked her means of escape. "I don't love that woman. I was drunk. I…" he shook his head, explaining everything to her.

Naminé didn't need an explanation; she already knew when she saw him at the club. Tears erupted from her eyes as she wrapped her arms around Roxas' neck. Her lips pressed harshly against his own, she caught the dirty blond off guard. For once, she was in control instead of Roxas.

Like any other time, Roxas gave in to his male instincts and switched their positions. Naminé against the door instead of himself.

"_I can't afford to lose you…"_

Here we go again with the alienated feeling rising unwillingly to the surface. Naminé was as red as blood itself and Roxas a tinge of rose. So many thoughts rushed through Roxas' mind; he didn't know what to think anymore.

Here was the girl of his dreams and fantasies and he promised himself a few weeks ago that he would never fall prey to something he could never have.

But, what she had was so irresistible. She drove him crazy; he'd do anything to always have this feeling. To have her love all to himself and be with her every waking moment.

She was…an addiction. A drug he would inject within his own arm to be sane. And he wanted everything she could offer, from her kisses to her the very essence that flows through her blood veins…

"_Never again…"_

Naminé was still pushed up against the door when Roxas effortlessly suspended her in the air. He wanted to be even closer to his maiden. She threw off his Puma jacket and black tank top. The young woman missed this as much as Roxas did, and wanted to experience it once more.

Roxas hadn't noticed, but one of his own hands had traveled to the hem of Namine's own lavender spaghetti strap shirt and lifted it over her head. Now topless, Naminé could feel each one of Roxas' muscles rippling intimately against her chest.

She sucked in a breath as Roxas kissed the side of her neck. He had found her sensitive spot: where her shoulder and neck joined together.

"_Delicious…"_

The 20-year-old dove her hands into Roxas' gleaming locks, racking through them like a fine-toothed comb. With Naminé pulling through his hair seemed, like such an intoxicating sensation. He may have been sober because of her slap, but now he was so drunk upon her beautiful skin and kissable lips, he wished he were drunk all the time.

Maybe that was why. This was what he needed the entire time. Namine was his remedy, his whole reason to love and live through life everyday. Roxas had been lost in the shadows…because of her help, he was able to see that he was more than just a Nobody…he was a **somebody**.

By becoming a separate person after years of work and research, he was more than happy to be his own ruler. Sora was also happy as well as Kairi to Naminé.

Both adults whispered endearments to one another, Roxas kissing the tip of her nose and Naminé locking her ankles around his lower hips to keep him close. Their bodies were surging with cravings and animalistic needs. They screamed for contact, and were being fed with greedy helpings.

"I missed you." Roxas breathed, his forehead gently on Naminé's.

"Me too."

Roxas licked his lips sexually, his eyes filled with voracious nature. Naminé's hairs on the back of her neck made it stand up on end from surprise.

She shivered in anticipation, excited to know what he had in store for her. Roxas was already topless and sweating, what more could she possibly desire?

_All I want…is you. And nothing else._

* * *

A word from the author…

Thanks for all the reviews. Hope you're enjoying this story; critique and reviews are always welcomed. Like everything else, I highly appreciate them. Thank you and enjoy reading the next installment.


	6. Stop, Drop and Drink? Part II

It's been SO long since I've updated this piece! Sorry guys, school's been pretty evil to me lately, that, and work plus no free time except early in the morning or late at night. Oh well, now that it's up, I don't have to worry about it for a bit.

**Enjoy reading!**

Princess Io

* * *

**Six: Stop, Drop and Drink? (Part II)**

Their kisses were always variously flavored. They never tasted the same more than once—at least, in Naminé's case. Roxas cherished each press of his lips upon hers.

It was a wonderful sensation, to hold her small frame within his arms again. Roxas missed this: his _security_, reassurance that he was **still** loved by the one woman whom he held.

He vowed to never hold her again after that night, but lo and behold, destiny has driven them toward each other time and time again. He needed no explanation—they were made for one another.

"_But what about her fiancée?"_

"_What about Hiro-kun?"_

The two instantly thought of the one obstacle standing in their path to happiness. But Naminé felt downright guilty, even miserable. Here she was at the club, trying to have a good time until she spotted Roxas kissing another woman.

Hiro had walking off in another direction to talk on his cell phone over company matters. He hadn't even witnessed the scene—well, he probably wouldn't have cared anyway.

The night was just getting better and better. Yet, it was insane as well as making perfect sense.

Roxas' feverish kisses made Naminé shiver from head-to-toe; her cheeks stained a deep rose. She blushed prettily and raked her delicate fingers through the dirty blond locks oddly misshapen in a unique way.

They were incredible, and most certainly fit for the mood. After all, it was Roxas' first time drinking, so he ended up kissing a woman identical to Naminé on accident.

Panting, Naminé could feel her lips throbbing from kissing her love for a long period of time. But she didn't care, so long as she could stay this way forever. In fact, she truly hoped for Hiro to never find her and just call the engagement off altogether.

She also felt obligated; bound to her duty of marrying the man her parents only really approved of. They wouldn't understand how she felt; they wouldn't care at all, only for what would look good to represent their image.

"What's wrong Naminé?" Roxas whispered, kissing the woman's sweaty forehead.

Naminé sucked in a breath from sheer excitement, the hairs on the back of her neck standing on end. To be touched again was like a cure to her depressing disease. But such a drug can only last so long…

"Nothing…" she said, casting her eyes downward.

Something was on her mind…that **something** in the shape of an overprotective fiancée and a malicious hooker. Both were so convincing, and yet deceptive.

Maybe that was why…

"I'll be okay Roxas." Naminé quietly replied, pecking Roxas on his lips.

As she leaned back, he pressed forward, never breaking contact between their lips. The two leaned so far forward and back, Naminé had fallen and forcibly taken Roxas with her.

Though the two had fallen upon the white-carpeted floor, it only made the atmosphere even more fitting. The irony, to promise never to see one another again, and yet to meet at the last place one ever thought of after several weeks of separation.

Fate moves on relentless…

Man cannot hide…

_Why must it be so painful to be with the person you love…_

…_when you know that when it's taken away you feel more than an empty shell…_

…_you feel…_

_**Dead?**_

All of a sudden, someone had started jiggling on the doorknob from the other side. Breaking the kiss prematurely, both adults set their attention upon the door opposite of their position.

Whoever it was, would either apologize politely and make a quick exit…or worse. Of course, both hoped for the former of the two instead of the latter, though that was the least of their concerns.

Breaking contact, Roxas frantically glanced around the room for a quick route of escape. Naminé, on the other hand, had been searching for her discarded shirt and other belongings. As the twenty-year-old adults spotted what they needed, both turned to each other.

"_The bathroom!"_

Roxas pointed to the door with emphasis and grabbed Naminé's hand in urgency. She stumbled after him, explaining their belongings were still on the floor. The doorknob clinked and clanked again, a key starting to insert itself within the hole.

As soon as the two closed the door to the restroom, they quietly sat down to prevent excess movement, not to mention sound as well.

Silence. Naminé pressed her ear to the door to listen closely to whoever was on the other side. It was evident there was a woman talking, but the blond couldn't recognize just who.

Then she heard a man's voice, but not the one she hoped it to be. _"Hiro?"_ She mouthed to herself.

What had been worse was the fact it wasn't talking. Naminé's face gradually flushed when she had heard the sounds from the opposite side of the cherry tree door. She quickly turned around and leaned her back against the cool surface.

An unknown source stung at her heart like fire, this evil and malevolent karma that had probed her mind, mocking her and saying:

"_Look at what you've done…you whore." _Her mind spat, each word dripping like acidic rain.

"_Such a disgrace, you should be ashamed of yourself."_ Her heart wept, unable to grasp the situation at the moment.

"_Why didn't you just tell him the truth to spare him the pain he would endure?"_ More daggers continued to stab and weighed the woman down to nothingness.

"_WHY?"_

Speechless.

The keyblade wielder sat patiently on the marbled counter, his eyes inspecting the ceiling until they noticed a large window on the other side of the champagne curtain. He pushed the object away and then tried working on the locked switch with concentration.

With success, the switch gave way, and Roxas pushed the glass outward, looking over toward the ground. Reluctantly, the club was a one-story, and the ground was only muddy from the recent showers.

He turned to Naminé, gazing at the distorted expression upon her face. She looked like she was in anguish, but above all remorse.

Shaking his head of such frivolous thoughts, Roxas came to the girl's side, and turned her body from the door. Out of instinct, Namine clutched desperately to her best friend, sobbing in his arms.

His eyes widened out of ire and realization. Déjà vu over and over again. Just coming back at the worst of times, only to mock the hypocrisy until evil rears its ugly head.

**Hiro was cheating on Naminé …**

**Yet, Naminé had cheated on Hiro…**

The world was such a cruel and horrifying place. There was nowhere to escape to for a long time, only small nirvanas that flow like endless rivers. For a few minutes, Roxas leaned against the door, still holding a broken-hearted woman.

Naminé embraced Roxas in return, holding onto that last bit of comfort that soothed her aching heart. After she had fallen asleep, Roxas stood up and shook his lethargic legs and then walked to the window that was still ajar.

"Is she okay?" A voice asked in the darkness.

Nodding, Roxas gave the man in front of him a lob sided smile. "Yeah." But then he frowned, thinking about the previous events before their escape. He felt pity toward Naminé, a young woman just trying to balance out the equilibrium within the world of discord.

And self-pity, over the fact he was just a hot-blooded adult who had fallen in love with bad timing and was now paying the price.

Riku shook his head side to side before looking at Sora. "Hey, we better call it a night. I'll call Aidou to let him know that we went home. You drive, I'm wiped out."

As soon as Riku had said that statement, Roxas began to sway a bit, suddenly feeling he after effects of this alcohol intake.

His vision gradually came to a blur, the room spinning and made Roxas even more nauseous. "Whoa…" Luckily, Riku had hold of Naminé. He began to fall forward, but Sora broke his fall with his arms holding his frame steady.

"Looks like the shots and the Elixir Plus really got to you, huh?" Sora's voice echoed in Roxas' head. He spoke again, but the words seemed incoherent and just gibberish. Soon, Roxas welcomed the dimness and some well needed sleep.

* * *

_In the distance, the young man could hear the childish laugh of a single woman. _"Roxas…"

"_Roxas!"_

"_Good morning Roxas!"_

_As the youthful adult opened his eyes, the beauty of nature glittered against the sun; it's unique way of saying hello. Roxas began to sit up, but something stopped him, two hands that weren't his own. One was cuddled against his cheek, while the other threaded gently through his unruly spikes._

_Roxas' sight traveled from the heavens above to the person that was apparently holding him. Though, her eyes and hair were concealed in the shadows. Her voice was what he distinguished well, and yet, couldn't determine because it mimicked the sacred ringing of a thousand glass bells._

"_Huh?" He couldn't say anything else, no matter how hard his mind screamed him to._

_The woman tittered again, clearly amused by Roxas' awestricken behavior. As Roxas finally sat up, the mystifying female began to run away, the resonance of her laughs echoed through the wilderness. Out of impulse, he ran after her, following her alluring voice._

_After running through meadows and over rivers, underneath bridges and through small caves, Roxas was able to catch up to the laughing nymph. His hand came in contact with her fair skinned shoulder, and the man could feel something odd about her; as if she didn't seem real, but instead a mere hallucination._

"_Who are you?"_

"_Don't you know who I am?"_

"_I…"_

_A luminous radiance then flashed in the former Organization XIII member's sight. Out of instinct, his left arm shielded his eyes from further damage. Before everything had disappeared, the woman turned around to reveal her identity._

_As she turned, she gracefully brought her hands toward her bosom, smiling that familiar and sweet smile. Roxas' pupils widened in surprise, "Naminé? Is that you?"_

"_Silly man…" The woman teased, slowly running her hands from her chest tantalizingly all over her body. As she tempted Roxas even more, her wicked grin shone once more as the female saw he began drooling._

_She swayed her hips against the wind, her extravagant pearl dress and long ribbons flowing in the breeze. Each step she took toward Roxas only made him weak in the knees, his palms dripping in condensation._

"_My name…is…"_

**--**

"Ah!" The young man cried out of shock. As Roxas quickly sat up, an excessive amount of pain jolted through his head. He clutched the sides and groaned out of pain. He fell back onto what felt like a pillow of some sort. In fact, the blonde had no idea where he was in the first place.

Peering at his surroundings, it quickly became clear he was at Sora's apartment. To be more specific, his living room and on the couch with a comfortable quilted blanket draped over him.

Obviously, Roxas was also suffering from a hangover, hence the immensely painful migraine and that had been hammering and drilling in particular spot on his head.

"Gah…damn drinking to hell…" he muttered, though hastily hearing approaching footsteps. But not the ones he expected to be Sora's.

The person was silent, coming over to the end table and setting what sounded like a glass of liquid and maybe even a small bottle or container holding something that may have been pills.

Roxas held back the urge to say something, instead choosing to lay still and close his eyes, pretending to still be asleep. The footsteps started to distance themselves from the twenty-year-old.

With precise stealth ability, Roxas pushed back the blanket and sat up, searching for the retreating body. He looked over at the end table and praised himself for being right; it had been a glass of water—no ice. There was also a small packet of Aspirin. He took the pills as suggested and then resumed back to investigation.

Though he hadn't noticed until after he set the empty cup down that his clothes had been missing! In replacement, Roxas was wearing Sora's black t-shirt adorned with the words 'Geek Squad', and a pair of navy blue basketball shorts.

The twinge from earlier had come again, throwing his equilibrium off balance. He had the urge…the urge to throw up whatever he consumed from the previous night.

His stomach started to rumble like an earthquake, and Roxas knew this outcome wouldn't be pretty. Clamping a hand over his mouth, Roxas sprinted to the nearby sink in the kitchen.

Forcefully pushing the door open, he leaned most of his weight over the counter top and let out the substances that erupted in his system.

If anyone else was in the apartment, they were guaranteed to hear the gruesome sounds of regurgitation. Roxas didn't know how long he had been hurling, nor did he care at the moment.

After several more instances of forcing out particles his inner organs did not agree with, the raging war within had come to a close. He had to keep himself on his feet though; the small gurgles that still lay inside had the deadly potential to start up again.

"Wait a minute…" Roxas mumbled to himself, wiping his mouth and chin with a paper towel and tossing it in the wastebasket. Forgetting about the remnants of the substance in the sink, he paused for thought. Roxas came to an interesting question that passed his mind while nervously threading his hands through his hair.

"What **happened** last night?"

Or was he better off not knowing the truth at all?

Could it be that he may have done something he would regret if he remembered?

Pacing back and forth in the kitchen, Roxas retailed his steps, starting from the morning of last night.

He went to his chemistry and theater classes yesterday morning, and in the afternoon his last classes were psychology and computer engineering. Of course, he was assigned the night shift at work too.

Roxas distinctly remembered texting Riku and Sora about going anywhere last night and blowing off most of his paycheck. Riku did mention something about a party—

"_Of course! The Gold Saucer!" _The man connected in his memory, smacking one hand into the other for extra emphasis on his discoveries.

The only other memory was that he met Trinity's older brother Aidou.

And…

That was it?

He just had a good time and no worries at the Kosmik Starr Klub? _"No way…that sounds like it went to smoothly. But…what is this feeling that there was more?"_ he thought, tapping his finger on a nearby counter top after pulling up a stool to sit on.

Before Roxas could think anymore and attempt remembering, a door was opened. He turned toward it, hoping for it to be Namine, yet simultaneously hoping for it to be Sora.

Instead, the wind decided to play a teasing hand in this game. Drooping his shoulders, Roxas scratched the back of his head in utter confusion. _"That was weird…"_

Feeling better in terms of his abdomen area, Roxas made his way out the door and spotted someone at the window. Their back was to him, so he couldn't quite tell at first, until he noticed the familiar shade of honey suckle tresses.

He beseeches that holy essence, to touch it again and feel that soft caress as he thread his fingers gently through the sea of gold. Such beauty blinded Roxas, that as he approached it, he never knew it would slip through his grasp and disappear once more.

"Roxas?" The voice said, the woman's head slowly turning around to reveal her nature. But as she turned, her hair had transformed into the shade of a phoenix's widespread wings. The rays that shed light into the darkened room had stolen the color of riches from the woman's hair.

"Kairi?" he croaked, blinking several times to reassure himself that he hadn't thought it was the woman he expected to be perched upon the windowsill and staring out into nothingness. Rubbing his eyes over and over, his vision had corrected itself, but to no avail; it was Kairi the entire time.

Only a trick of the light had caused the adult to fall into a deep hallucination; like a real life dream.

"What's the matter?" Kairi asked, concerned by Roxas' sudden change in attitude and stature. Getting off her previous spot, she came up to her friend and pressed a cool palm to his searing forehead. Just her touch made him instantly remember Naminé. After all, the two women were once part of each other like he and Sora were before.

At first he twitched, but relaxed against Kairi's hand. Roxas quickly came to the assumption she was checking his current body temperature, to make sure he wasn't sick from last night or if he caught something.

"Well…you're a little flushed, but that's normal for overcoming a hangover. You should probably get some rest until Sora gets home from work."

"What's today?" Roxas asked, completely dodging her suggestion of sleep. He had more than enough to give him energy that day anyway. He had to get everything straight so that he knew where to start and where to end.

"It's Saturday, you only slept about a well deserved amount of hours. Sora told me to stay here in case you woke up."

Kairi had decided to explain everything to Roxas, since he somehow couldn't remember. Though, she was with her parents Saturday night, and therefore wasn't told about the events that had occurred at The Kosmik Starr Klub.

"What—" Before Roxas attempted asking what happened last night, he heard his phone ring. It played "Sexy back" and vibrated like no tomorrow. It was evident the ring tone belonged to none other than Riku.

Flipping his cell open, Roxas placed the receiver to his ear. "Hello?"

"_Wow, you have amazing recovery Rox."_

"…I'm just surprised as you are."

"_Just checking up on you. Man, last night you were so faded, you passed out in only a few seconds. Lemme tell you, carrying your body into Sora's car just shaved five years off my life."_ Riku chuckled, a faint sound of a car door slammed in the background.

"Hmph…mind informing me of what the hell happened last night?" Roxas got to the point, walking over to the couch and sitting down. Kairi followed and sat next to him, curious about the conversation.

Riku had explained the events of the previous night, though purposely left out a few major details. When all had been said and done, Roxas had a feeling there were some obvious holes in the story. But he couldn't ask because of the door had suddenly opened.

"I'm home." Sora called out, closing the door behind him. He calmly walked over to the kitchen and set his keys down on the counter. When he approached the refrigerator, something caught his immediate attention.

He only sniffed a couple times, quickly picking up the foul stench. Sora followed it until he looked over into his own sink. Eyes as ample as dinner plates, he couldn't exactly determine what the substance was that inhabited his kitchen sink.

Slowly retreating from staring at the gruesome sight, Sora quietly made his way into the living room of his apartment. After solitary moments of silence, he spoke.

"What the hell is that?!"

* * *

"Such a charming woman you have chosen as your fiancé Hiro." Yukiru smiled, wiping her mouth with an Egyptian cotton napkin.

Hiro's parents Mamoru and Yukiru invited he and Naminé to an evening meal. They had arrived at the Crystal Eidolon, a five star restaurant with a huge reputation of being the finest places on the west coast.

Sipping his champagne, Hiro's grin proudly shone against the setting sun. "Yes mother. In fact, the most beautiful flower in a garden of roses." His poetic declaration only made Yukiru smile even more.

Hiro turned to Namine, a serene expression of love on his face as he reached for her hand underneath the table.

As his gripped onto hers, Naminé jumped, feeling a shiver run through her body. Shifting her eyes toward Hiro's, her cerulean pupils held hesitation in them. Her fiancée hadn't noticed and instead gave her hand a quick squeeze before turning back to his parents.

"In fact, since I've proposed to Naminé, we have been in progress of putting a wedding together already."

"Really now? What date Hiro?" His father asked, signaling for a nearby waiter to come by the table.

"June twenty-fifth father! In a little less than three months. We haven't decided on a location of where the ceremony will be held, but that's partly why I wanted to ask you father." Hiro said excitedly Mamoru.

While the two held their conversation on wedding matters, Yukiru began talking to Namine.

"So tell me Naminé, have you gotten any time to look at any wedding dresses?" Yukiru sipped her champagne, curious to know what her future daughter-in-law was planning.

"Well…" Naminé started, fettling with her hands out of a nervous habit. She didn't know what to say in the presence of a lady such as Yukiru. "I haven't exactly had the time because of school and work falling into my busy schedule."

"Splendid! Well then, you don't have to worry about your dress plans and examinations. I'll just have a good friend of mine select some of the best and then have you try them on. From there, we'll let you pick the best one that you like." Yukiru said enthusiastically, clasping her hands together with emphasis.

Before speaking any further, a few waiters had come up to distribute dinner. From there, Mamoru suddenly had a thought spark in his mind. "Oh how rude of us! Please Naminé dear, can we see your engagement ring?"

Naminé had accidentally dropped her fork onto the floor, the silver utensil clanking loudly and the sound bouncing off the plain white walls. Quickly noticing her clumsiness, Namine excused herself to retrieve her fork. Examining her right hand for the ring, she hastily noticed something too late.

"_Where's my engagement ring?"_ Her eyes widened at the odd question her mind had been asking.

She figured it would still be on her finger since she never took it off. Right? Creasing each eyebrow, Naminé had been stupefied; she couldn't remember where her ring was.

Nor know when she had taken it off. Still transfixed on her bare hand, her eyes could trace out the small creases the ring had made before.

Her phone began to vibrate as she came back up from getting her fork from the carpeted floor. "Naminé? We would like to see your engagement ring." Mamoru pressed, cutting into his Salisbury steak.

Glancing at her cell phone underneath the table, she had seen a message from none other than—

**Roxas**…

"_Roxas! Now I remember!"_ Faint images of her last night with the blond college student had raced through her conscious.

--

"_I'm sorry." She said, closing her eyes in grief._

"_There's no need. I was too late." he regretted, cupping her face and stroking her cheek._

"_Roxas…I can't love you."_

"_I know. But I will still love you, even though you'll be married soon. All I wish is for you to be happy, even if it's not with me." Roxas built up a lot of courage to say that, but now that he confessed he was content._

"_How can I be happy without you?"_

_Roxas refused to answer and instead kissed her with such urgency and desperation. She kissed back, tracing her hands on his muscles, each one rippling beneath her touch._

_Roxas sucked in a breath as Namine's hand came down to his lower stomach. He looked at her with uncertainty, and gingerly took her hand up to his face._

"_We can't." Roxas kissed her hand, taking the engagement ring off and setting it on his nightstand._

--

"Uh…I…" Naminé was speechless. How was she going to explain that she left her engagement ring at her best friend's house? Her best friend's Roxas' house no less? She clutched her hands together, her phone sandwiched in between her palms.

"Excuse me!" she said hastily, sitting up abruptly and knocking a nearby waiter with her elbow. The waiter dropped his large tray of dinner selections onto the floor, causing the dishes to break and the food to scatter. Naminé grabbed her purse and ran without looking back toward the exit.

Out of confusion and concern, both parents turned to their son, looking for an explanation. "I…don't know what to say. Perhaps, she needs comforting." Hiro said, sighing and politely excusing himself from the table.

Hiro readjusted his black tie around his neck and smoothed out the wrinkles in his matching slacks and button up shirt. He kindly helped the waiter pick up the broken dishes before heading to the bathroom to wash his hands.

Afterwards, he head toward the balcony where his fiancé had wept.

Pushing the large glass doors open, Hiro quietly shut them again and unwrapped the gold rope that was fastened on the maroon curtains. Now they had privacy, he spoke, "What's the matter darling?"

Hiro sat on the ledge and gently wrapped his arms around Naminé's waist. As he pulled her shuttering body toward him, she still hadn't relaxed in his loving embrace.

_How many times had she shed a tear these entire few months?_

_Why was she only hurting those she cared about like before?_

_Did she even deserve happiness anymore?_

_Can anyone save her from this curse?_

_This tragedy?_

_This…_

_Madness?_

"I don't know if I can get through this Hiro-kun." she choked, getting away from Hiro's warm arms and hands. She took her own and hugged herself, as she gazed out toward the suburban areas glittering with light.

Hiro said nothing, instead waiting to see what else Naminé had to say. She pushed a stray hair behind her ear and sighed. _"Can I really tell him the truth? Right now?"_

The awkward silence was truly getting to both of them. So the dark haired man advanced toward his fiancé again

Preventing a chase of escape, he turned his love around and pressed a kiss of her trembling lips. Her lips were still as flavorful and soft like the first time he touched them. But Naminé acted distant and distracted with something on her mind.

"_Is there something you want to tell me?"_ Hiro whispered against Naminé's lips. She hadn't kissed him back for the third time that day, and it almost seemed like he now had to initiate and finish each of their one-sided kisses.

Both knew that he had the right to know what was on Naminé's mind. And so, both stayed that way in silence, until the blond felt ready to finally speak. But she couldn't bring herself to confess what had happened behind his back.

Will they all just be lies again?

"I want to make this work…" Namine whispered, wiping away her tears of bitterness. She didn't want to disappoint anyone, and decided to make things in her life right again.

If she hadn't started to love her best friend…none of this would have happened in the first place!

If she hadn't, then what?

Her phone vibrated again, her messages were overflowing and ready to burst out of the small electronic device. "Why don't you go home and rest hunny?" Hiro suggested. Lightly breathing against the side of Namine's neck and pressing small kisses on her pressure points.

The youth responded as quickly as her love's kisses were distributed. "You're right." She cast her eyes to the floor.

She didn't know what else to say, except the fact that she was all too confused to go through with spending the rest of her life with someone she only loved when he was present.

"I'm just…I need a little more time before our day Hiro-kun. Just…a little more time." she hid her phone behind her and then grabbed her purse from the white ledge. After giving him a small smile, the stressed adult calmly walked back to the large drapes and pulled them back.

Out in the parking lot, Naminé and Hiro kindly thanked Mamoru and Yukiru for dinner before departing. Hiro tipped the valet and then opened his door for Naminé to get in. She readjusted her dress and stockings before sitting in the passenger seat. Hiro followed suit and then started the engine of his car.

He drove away from the Crystal Eidolon--with an appetite filled, but questions left emptied without answers. The two only held occasional conversations, one speaking a few words here and there when they had finally arrived to Namine's apartment.

* * *

Like a gentleman, Hiro escorted his fiancé to the door and even opened it. Namine took off her thin coat and placed it on the rack, clicking on her lights in the living room and kitchen. She set her keys on the counter top before turning around to Hiro and smiling a small grin.

"Well…good night Hiro." She kissed him sweetly before pulling away. Although, Hiro's lips were still caressing her own, begging for more than just a small peck. He pushed her backward and their bodies angled in a tricky way against a kitchen counter.

Naminé could feel a slight bruise developing in the lower regions of her back, but was too distracted by Hiro's lustful kiss to even think about it.

The marble counters ruthlessly pressed against Naminé's tender back as the two began kissing with even more force and vigil. The woman knew that what she was feeling was supposed to be right, but it wasn't. Like before, her heart and her mind were telling her to follow what was right.

But even she didn't know what was right anymore…

"Mmm…Hi…Hiro…" Naminé mumbled. It felt so strange and alien to have his hands run themselves sensually around her writhing form. It was as if her body was reacting against her mind. One wanted her to pull away while the other persisted in staying trapped within Hiro's warm embrace.

"We…" she started again. His unwelcome hands made Naminé's skin crawl with goosebumps. These feelings weren't the same to her. Arching her back, the blond felt like she had deeply sinned; to spend one last night with the one she loves and yet to repeat it with another. He was persisting, and she was resisting.

Finally, Naminé's hands came up to Hiro's chest, pushing him hard enough to stop. He sat up, his brow creasing with disappointment as well as hurt. "What's the matter?" Her cheeks were flushed with ruby and sweat drenched her forehead.

Hiro had succeeded in stripping Naminé down to her undergarments; the satin lined dress carelessly tossed to the plush carpet below. Her bra clasp was also undone, but the youth's arms kept it close to her bare chest. After a moment's silence, Naminé shook her head vigorously with rejection.

"You know we can't do this Hiro-kun…" Her hands clenched her upper arms to prevent the loose bra to slip off any further than it had already progressed.

As soon as she had finished Hiro had pinned her wrists forcibly against the soft mattress. He began a frenzy of painful nipping on her exposed neck and collarbone. Having no regard for his fiancé's safety, he felt dejected and betrayed above anything else.

He blocked out Naminé's feeble pleas of rejection. Thoughts of anger, confusion and domination flooded his mind. They screamed at him to take what was rightfully his, and who was he to deny those wishes?

Out of nowhere, Hiro's cell phone rang loudly throughout the apartment. He perked up from surprise. Recognizing the ring, the man sat up and gazed triumphantly at the art he had sculpted.

She was beautiful; small rivers of blood painted her fair skin, along with other small bruises and love bites marring each inch of the woman writhing below him in agony. Smirking, he gladly kissed Naminé's cheek before zipping his pants closed.

That kiss alone was what fueled Naminé to bite back and instead of letting Hiro off with abusing her, she retaliated by delivering a powerful roundhouse kick to his groin.

Unfortunately, Hiro effectively grasped her ankle and held the tender limb in a vice-grip. He leaned in slowly, preventing the woman from struggling further.

"You're lucky this time—but I won't be so forgiving _Naminé_. My dear…you have utterly appalled me, yet I still love you. How **childish**, no?" His suave voice still consumed the faint scent of champagne and freshly cooked tilapia.

Hiro gave one last pressuring kiss on Naminé's own battered ones before getting off her bed to answer his screaming cell phone.

She felt like crying again that day, but refused to over the fact of having a predictable state of mind. Naminé calmly rubbed her ankle before readjusting and clasping her strapless bra and slipping her stilettos off her aching feet.

Then the truth had smacked her subconsciously; Hiro, her once loved fiancée had transformed into a _monster_, and yet she was remorseful over her act of cheating on him.

**Her body felt violated and filthy**. She yearned for a shower, an opportunity to cleanse her repulsive soul and start all over again with a saintly appearance. Naminé didn't even bother with slipping her evening gown back on and just headed toward her desired destination.

After closing the door, the woman was allowed a moments peace in the shower. Only the sound of trickling water mixed in with salty tears was enough to hone her shattered being.

Just feeling the safe droplets on her forehead made her feel she was being pinched. It was excruciating, but Naminé ignored it and just closed her eyes, falling deep into thought.

Gently rubbing her muscles and then shutting the nozzle off, Naminé finally released a long breath she had been holding. _"He's gone…"_ she thought, the echoing of Hiro's Miada roaring away from her driveway and down the street.

Donning a simple white bathrobe, Namine raced toward her phone in her purse. Flipping it open, she noticed there were several messages; from texting to phone calls and calendar reminders. Prior to answering any of them, her phone began vibrating again. The text was from **Hiro**.

_I'm sorry.  
-H_

Those two piercing words made Naminé's hands shake. With the last of the courage she could muster, she deleted the text from her phone. Following the trend she had started, she got rid of the rest of the texts from him as well.

But then her phone rang, the personalized ring tone sounding surprisingly familiar. It played "Waltz To The Moon": Kairi's ring tone.

Pressing on the pick up button, Naminé sat at her windowsill before speaking solemnly.

"Hello?"

"_Naminé?"_

"Y-yes…" This voice didn't belong to her…**who** was this?

"_How was your dinner with Hiro? Did you enjoy yourself? Are you okay?"_ So many questions flown at once.

"It was okay. Not really. And no." Such specific answers (not to mention short ones) when it came to Hiro and herself. Were there ever any good things about him in the first place?

"_Nam…do you want me to come over there?"_ Kairi's voice was careful, so as to not let her best friend have an emotional breakdown.

Shaking her head in refusal, Naminé whispered into the receiver. "I just need to talk to…"

A long pause. She didn't finish her sentence, in fear of acting predictable again.

"_Naminé?"_

Click.

Before she had said the name that whirled in her mind, Naminé purposefully hung up the phone. Sighing again, the woman quickly wrung her hair out and didn't even bother to blow-dry or comb her tangled locks.

She rapidly decided to drive herself to the given location and do something about this tiny figment that gnawed at her side. Her fresh body was adorned with gray sweat pants, a Volcom tank top, ankle socks and her old track shoes. She also shrugged on a No Boundaries jacket as well.

It didn't even faze the woman over the fact she looked like she had come from the gym; after all, she was only planning on visiting someone who never cared about her appearance anyway.

As she started the engine to her white Lexus, a familiar picture that hung underneath her rearview mirror struck a vital chord. It was the first picture of Hiro and herself, on their first date at the Oathkeeper Pier. It was a cool summer there, the perfect time to walk along the shores of the tranquil waters and enjoy each other's company.

Frowning, Naminé ripped the picture—chain included—off its original place and stashed it quickly in her glove box.

* * *

Approaching the driveway of another apartment, Naminé remembered what her intentions were here and to not dawdle on other personal matters. In other words, she would go in, carry on with her business for as long as required, and then leave as quickly as she came.

Nodding in approval, she got out, carrying a few things in her hands and then locking her car. Reaching the familiar cherry wood door, in an unladylike fashion, Naminé pounded her fist against the smooth surface.

After a few seconds, she heard on the other door someone tripping and falling against what sounded like a sturdy table. She then began hearing string of curse words. _"Shit! Frickin' hell…"_

Holding a solemn expression, Naminé took one last breath before calmly waiting for the answer to her rambunctious knocking.

"_Damn table…"_ Another mutter.

The barrier between Naminé and the other mysterious person had been broken; the two were now holding a silent staring match. Nonetheless, the person she decided to pay a visit wasn't whom anyone would expect after the hellish day she had been forced to go through.

"Naminé?" The man asked, for he was shocked to see the one woman he hadn't expected to come to his door at half past eleven.

"Roxas." her voice cracked. _"Dammit…why can't I ever hold a serious tone with him?"_ she scolded herself. Without hesitated, her eyesight switched from Roxas' clear pupils to his whole being. He always took her by surprise, and yet again she had been caught in his web of seduction.

She came to the assumption he just came out of the shower; for his locks of honeysuckle were flopped down sexily, the tips dripping with warm water.

Unfortunately, her eyes were also exposed to his perfectly chiseled chest and abdominal muscles as well.

Apparently, he hadn't been given enough time to dry completely off, so his uncovered skin was soaking wet, the evidence shown on his pillow soft carpet.

Naminé felt her throat running dry, but thought at the same time that her task to carry out any kind of business would be both distracting and challenging! Luckily, Roxas wore black boxers around his slim waist and had a white towel wrapped around his beautiful neck to prevent further exposure.

But that didn't matter; he was still like the flawless and legendary ladies man by the name of Adonis.

Quirking an eyebrow, Roxas nervously cleared his throat, holding up his left hand and curling it into a loose fist. "You needed something?"

Roxas felt heat rise to his cheeks, and he forced his eyes away from Naminé's exquisite form. He unintentionally undressed her with his soft gaze, tracing out each and every curve of her tone and breathtaking features.

"Oh…yes. You were…done showering I assume?" Naminé whispered, still holding her hidden bundle behind her back. Her feet finally permitted movement, slipping each shoes in a meticulous manner and placing them onto the white tile of the entranceway.

"Yeah…and in the middle of studying and doing homework." Roxas closed the door and still didn't bother clothing himself; it was just Naminé, it's not like she hadn't seen him like this before.

Padding toward the woman, Roxas gently placed his hands on either side of the couch frame, his fingers brushing Naminé's shoulders. He could felt her stiffen involuntarily by his touch.

"Something to drink? Want me to turn on the heater or something?"

It was odd; to feel comfortable after having a guest come over without further scheduling and still be able to act like a friendly host. Naminé's eyes were cast to her wrapped up bundle, the fabrics perched upon her lap.

"No thank you. I just need…" Naminé closed her eyes. "We need to talk."

"_She wants to talk…this won't go too well…"_ Roxas thought, going down the hall toward his bedroom to get dressed. A few moments passed, and the youth came out decent with a plain blue t-shirt and a pair of Adidas basketball shorts.

Sitting across from her, Roxas braced himself for what she was about to say. He had a pretty good idea of what she was planning on discussing with him. As soon as her piercing gaze stung Roxas' state of mind, he quickly learned this conversation was going to get ugly.

"These are yours." Placing the clothes she had borrowed a few weeks earlier on the coffee table. Naminé held out her hand. "I also need—"

"Your engagement ring." Roxas finished, a lob sided grin spreading across his gleaming features. His larger hand came and covered her smaller one, promptly dropping the chic jewelry in the center of Naminé's palm. But before she could retreat, Roxas gingerly held the girl's chin with his opposite hand.

"You seem disturbed. Something the matter?"

His eyes; the one thing that could look into her soul and see what she was concealing. Naminé held her hard gaze before speaking again. "I'm fine." She curtly cut off.

Snatching her hand away gracefully, Naminé dropped the ring in her jacket pocket and then turned toward the exit. As always, Roxas tailed after her, his brow creased in wonder.

"Stop following me." Her strong voice tossed over her shoulder, Naminé chose against looking at him. If she did, it would be like all of those other times; unable to escape from the mess that had been created.

"No." he argued, smirking playfully. Roxas held the door closed before Naminé had been granted the opportunity to turn the knob absolutely. Naminé reacted by turning around, her face tattooed with noiseless streams of tears.

His exultant smirk faltered, something was definitely wrong. His other hand snuck its way on the other side of Naminé's head. The man leaned in, his visage just mere inches away from hers.

He lovingly kissed away the woman's sadness and grief but she turned her face away to hide in shame.

"_Why? Is it this painful just to be around you?"_ Naminé thought, her lower lip quivering as she kept her eyes shielded from Roxas' own pupils.

"You want to know why it's so painful?"

Shocked, Naminé snapped her face toward the direction of his masculine voice. How could he have read her very thoughts? Was it possible for him to acquire such ability?

"How?"

Shaking his head, Roxas held a serious tone. "Did something happen to you?"

Always getting straight to the point.

"You wouldn't understand." Anger erupted in her chest. Naminé refused to tell Roxas the truth.

Raising a thin eyebrow, one hand left it's current location near her head before efficiently unzipping Naminé's jacket. She instinctively clenched the sides of her jacket closed around her upper body.

Gritting her teeth together, and decided to tell Roxas just what his intentions were leading toward weren't in her best interest.

"_How dare you…don't touch me_," her reply as icy as her glacier pupils.

Eyes narrowing, Roxas took his palm and held both of Naminé's above her head. His other one lifted the hem of her tank top to expose her naked skin. His eyes widened, fire ablaze and raging wildly in his expression.

What Roxas' eyes finally witnessed left nothing but one thought in his mind.

"_That bastard!"_

The marks upon Naminé's skin mimicked that of water streaks; still fresh and stinging by the slight contact of the harmless air. Though some were barely visible, others looked agitated and tender to the touch. Naminé violently twisted and turned against Roxas' unyielding grip.

"Stop it! Let me—"

"He did this to you."

His statement dripped in venom, holding back the strike ready to emerge from his being.

Naminé was traumatized and frozen; how could _he_ be any more right? Those awful images were reappearing in her mind, replaying each segment continuously.

_**His lustful eyes of wine were hungrily seeing through her layer of clothing. Those moist lips engulfed every bit of skin that crossed their path. Hands allowed themselves into forbidden passages that only made Naminé's stomach churn in disgust.**_

It was the most horrifying and morbid experience that she had endured that night.

And now, even her best friend could never look at her the same. She was no longer the once innocent angel he knew since high school. She was _tainted_ and _broken_.

"Isn't this what you wanted?" Naminé whispered, more tears falling from her bloodshot eyes. She no longer felt the motivation to get out of Roxas' grip. Her weight now dangled from her hands to the bottom of her toes.

"_What I wanted?"_ Roxas kept his stare intent on her afflictions.

His eyes shifted sight to look at Naminé's. He let go of her wrists, taking them into his hands and gingerly rubbing her sore spots. No more words had been spoken between the two, just a comfortable silence.

* * *

Minutes to midnight. Just 11:56, and so much has happened since Naminé's arrival.

The two were on the couch, Roxas holding Naminé in a soft embrace with a blanket over their bodies. Snuggling even closer, the woman closed her eyes to listen to the blonde's steady heartbeat. It was so new and ornately nostalgic.

"Falling asleep?"

Shaking her head slightly against Roxas' chest, Naminé let out a yawn. "Nope, wide awake."

"Uh huh…" Roxas smiled, switching off the TV with his remote. He nuzzled his face against Naminé's scalp and sighed heavily. A thought popped into his mind, maybe now would be a good opportunity.

"I got a call from Riku earlier today…told me about last night when I went to The Kosmik Starr Klub. Despite the fact I had been puking my guts out all day, vowing to never drink another alcoholic beverage, and wrote a note to beat Riku tomorrow, I've had a pretty crappy day."

Naminé couldn't help but agree. Last night was horrible, and today…

"_No need to go there…"_

"Mind filling in the gaps that he left out?" Roxas asked, making the woman snap her eyes open, taken off guard by his inquiry.

Her mouth was slightly amplified; she didn't know what to say! Where to start was the real question. But then again, should she tell him at all?

"You don't remember what happened last night?" she asked, a nervous tone in her countering question.

When in her mind, her subconscious was screaming, _"What the hell were you thinking in asking that stupid question? You…idiot! Now you'll have to explain you were there!"_

"You were there?" Roxas asked naïvely, already starting to piece the puzzle together as he waited for Namine to finish her incomplete thought.

Glancing at the clock, it had only moved two minutes. Sighing, the college student felt butterflies in her stomach. It was a strange and alien feeling since Naminé had to explain something…**intimate** to Roxas.

Unbeknownst, Roxas cutely cocked his head to the side in curiosity. Naminé's cheeks were stained a splash of rose and her navy irises were cast toward the carpet.

Standing up, the twenty-year-old walked calmly down the hall, trailing the quilted blanket behind her. Roxas followed Naminé toward his bedroom.

Naminé finally looked up at Roxas.

"It's a long story," she said quietly, still rosy and a bit shaky.

"I don't have class tomorrow. And my shift starts at one—gotta close. I have time."

He gave her a small smile.

_A long night is ahead…I can feel it. Here we go, square one._

* * *

A word from the author…

As I said at the beginning, thank you SO much for keeping this dramatic tale alive! Reviews are always highly appreciated. Thank you.


	7. A Ray of Hope

I humbly apologize for all the commotion and delay; but here it is

**Now, this time around, it's going to be a little different. So, enjoy and thank you to all my reviewers.**

Princess Io

* * *

**Seven: Ein Strahl der Hoffnung**

_A long night is ahead…I can feel it. Here we go, square one._

As Roxas hesitantly followed behind Naminé's blanketed body, he couldn't help but think that from what she was going to explain to him would either break his already broken heart…or whatever fate she may lay out to him will contain a spark of hope.

As he opened the door for her to enter, he didn't turn the lights on at first. Roxas suddenly remembered just what he had been doing in his room before she unexpectedly arrived. Out of a slight panic, he prevented Naminé to enter at the last second.

She looked up at him, cocking her head to the side, ready to ask the obvious question.

He silenced her and went in through the entryway then quickly closed the door so she wouldn't follow him in. Turning on a nearby lamplight, Roxas rapidly surveyed his room for what he needed at the moment before permitted Naminé to enter.

After spotting a small clear case marked with permanent marker, he grabbed it and stashed it in an open drawer. Roxas felt self-conscious that instant, and decided to tidy up his messy room that was filled with clip outs and such so Naminé wouldn't know what he had been doing.

A soft knock came at the door.

"_Are you okay Roxas? You don't need me to help you clean or anything…?"_ Namine inquired quietly, her hand lightly on the bronze knob of his white oak door.

"Yeah Nam. It's okay, I just don't want you to look at this pigsty I consider my room." Roxas chuckled; closing a nearby textbook he had been reading and threw it casually underneath his desk.

As he finished tidying up, Roxas wiped his forehead before sighing.

The young man let Naminé into his room after taking a moment to compose himself and seem presentable.

"Well…" Naminé started, taking a seat on the edge of Roxas' bed and fiddling nervously with her fingers and loose hair strands. She felt all the more embarrassed now that she had to admit what had truly happened the night Roxas had first become intoxicated.

As she explained the circumstances, Naminé gradually turned maroon around her cheeks. It was then that she couldn't keep solid eye contact with Roxas because of what he was hearing. She didn't see how he was reacting, but had a good idea of what his features were manipulated to.

"We…um…well…Roxas…" Naminé croaked; sweating further and feeling quite uncomfortable in the situation she was currently placed in. She just couldn't outwardly tell they had been making out at the club!

It was too embarrassing, and she'd hope that at that instant Roxas would remember so she wouldn't have to explain what had happened.

Roxas studied Naminé's peculiar body language, blatantly staring at her with a curious expression, eager and yet afraid to discover just what she was trying to tell him. He blinked a few times, sighed and asked, "Will I…regret what I've done to you…?"

Just that very statement made Naminé look toward him sharply, a shocked visage plastered upon her flushed features. Would he truly regret what they were doing last night? Should he? Should she?

Naminé suddenly did something that caught the dirty blond off guard yet again.

She stood before him, the light quilt slipping off her creamy shoulders that made Roxas' eyes slightly widen from the abrupt transformation. He wasn't sure what to do at that very moment, and instead settled for staring up at Naminé's five foot six body.

Naminé quickly took hold of Roxas' face between her equally sweaty palms, bent down and crushed her lips quite forcefully against his. For a few seconds, Roxas was nonchalant. Solely because of the fact that the one woman he fell in love with had taken the initiative to actually kiss him first.

Instead of elucidation in the form of words, she demonstrated the gist of what the two had done last night.

A moment longer, and Naminé gently let go of Roxas' face, breaking off the unexpected kiss. She tugged on his lower lip, a silent way of telling him that she was…"done" explaining. That very lip contact the two had shared took Roxas' breath away, literally.

His brain was so scrambled; he couldn't decipher left from right…was that truly what the two had done last night? And why the **HELL** did he not remember something like that before?

"We…did…that?" Roxas whispered, his memory coming to life as he stared into Naminé's identical oceanic pupils. Her eyes mimicked that of a door into her soul, a place that only Roxas had access to.

Just by looking into her eyes, he saw just what had happened, from her slapping him to when he had purposely locked them inside of one of the V.I.P. rooms.

_Such scenes of intimacy…_

"_No wonder why Namine was so red…"_ Roxas thought, never breaking eye contact with the woman in front of him.

--

_Her hands dragged lazily from the tops of his shoulders, to his pecks, down his abdomen to their goal. Whispers of sweet nothings that were harmless, yet powerfully manipulating…soft gasps of released breath emitted from her beautiful mouth he loved to kiss._

_She couldn't help but lovingly nip at the loops of his ears before playfully biting at the side of his neck. Oh how she loved the way he would suck in a breath, as she would lick the crevice behind his lovely ears._

_His hands tracing every exquisite curve that he dared to touch. They traveled lethargically, with precise strokes, from the hollows of her perfect hips to the tender underside of her breast. Each lengthy caress made __Naminé__ shiver and all the more excited. _

_It fueled him to smirk out of confidence, he had triumphed this battle against a woman whom was difficult to tame in the first place._

_They did not lust for one another, but were merely fond to gaze upon such an appealing site of blossoming love. The two were lost in a kaleidoscope of eternal pleasure and filled with a voracious nature to consume each inch of the presented virgin skin._

_The air between them grew scarce…_

_Proclamations of love had been announced for all to hear. Their reunion had been more than to relieve the stress that had been created to prevent further fruition, but more of a healing, a remedy to cure the gaping hole of emptiness._

_It was beautiful, imitating a portrait of awe that was Romeo and Juliet. A forbidden love that was not supposed to be, yet because of destiny that has driven them together, the only true way to end the misery is death._

--

There was silence between the two. Roxas cleared his throat, still searching for the correct words to say to what he had just seen through Namine's eyes.

Naminé, on the other hand, had only resorted to discreetly fanning herself to flush back to her original skin tone.

"Um…I'm sorry…about, **that**." She finally spoke, twisting a strand of hair again in order to distract herself, patiently waiting for Roxas' reply.

When Roxas still hadn't said a single word, it began to worry the woman.

Was what she had done a poor display of what happened?

The awkward silence was killing both of them internally. Roxas didn't speak quite yet, waiting for the right moment. Instead, he stood from his current position at his desk chair and toward the edge of his bed where Naminé was prettily perched.

One of his hands found hers and he brought it up to his newly moist lips. His sweet breath swept carelessly along the small ridges of her knuckles. He closed his eyes and smelled her hand on the upside of her palm, taking in her fresh lilac soap.

"Dance with me…" He asked. She looked straight at him, his eyes still closed. Before she had a chance to respond, he opened his eyes, shiny irises of cobalt gleamed brightly with desire.

Naminé swallowed slowly before Roxas stood from his kneeling position and wrapped his other hand around her petite waist. He pulled her in close, enough to feel her heart beat, and that made Naminé blush from the closeness. But she felt comfortable in his embrace, safer than any other place she had been.

There may have been no music at all, but to Roxas and Naminé, they wouldn't have it any other way. Just this soundless atmosphere that surrounded them seemed to bring music from thin air.

And so they danced…

* * *

"Yes mother…no, I haven't seen her since the dinner a few nights ago. I know, but she hasn't been here for two days. Don't worry; before you think of sending for her, I may know one last place she may be. I love you mother, good bye." After Hiro clicked his cell phone shut, he squeezed it so tightly it began to crack under the pressure.

He hadn't seen his fiancé in a matter of days, and he was getting irritated by the minute. Hiro grasped his car keys while still clutching his phone. Roxas was going to pay for what he's done, and Namine was certainly going to as well…possibly even more so.

Slamming his car door, Hiro pressed a button to turn on his GPS, seeing a faint beacon that vibrated on the small screen.

This time, he was going to end Namine's relationship with Roxas.

**PERMANENTLY.**

Hiro just couldn't believe that Naminé would do that to him. That night after the dinner with his parents was supposed to impress them, as well as have them take a liking to their daughter-in-law to be.

But instead, she gets involved with her best friend and then ruins his plans to marry her. It's like she loves him more! Had Roxas never existed, and then Naminé wouldn't be in a situation like this.

However, Hiro knew that in order for Naminé to always be kept under his close surveillance, is to take her away form Roxas.

The heir of Takamura Industries was fuming with anger and raging with jealousy. He had enough of his love playing games.

After finally making his way to the right location, Hiro was ready to eliminate the one obstacle that stood in his way since day one.

**--**

The two lover's dance came to an end, and the two felt as relaxed as they had hours earlier. Naminé sighed into Roxas' embrace and nuzzled cutely into his chest. He laid his chin on top of her head before speaking.

"Naminé …" He started, but she cut him of.

"Don't say it…please Roxas. Just hold me…" Naminé said, trying to stop her shoulders from shaking. She knew just what he was going to tell her, and she wanted to continue living this fairy tale for a little while longer.

It was painful, but Naminé would rather suffer the consequences than to wake up from her long awaited dream.

This nostalgic feeling, it was the only way to escape from the ugly reality that waited for her to emerge. In a matter of time, Hiro was going to find her, and she was to marry him. What's only worse is to forcefully end her relationship with Roxas…forever.

_And yet, it was wrong to run away…_

_To run from the truth…_

All of a sudden, Roxas pulled back and lifted Naminé's light figure with little effort. She was suspended in the air while he looked over her entire body from head to toe. To her though, it made her blush, thinking he was reading her like a book, knowing everything she ever thought, from beginning to end.

He smiled, his lids lowering a little, in adoration of Naminé's flawless beauty. She was truly something he didn't deserve, something that only Hiro was allowed to touch, to kiss, and to hold.

He was jealous of Hiro, Roxas will admit that much. For him to act too late to confess his love for her after several years of hiding it, and now he was to suffer the consequences that have arisen.

While still holding her in the air, Roxas smiled even wider, and brought Naminé closer and back to earth where he was. "Did you fall from heaven?" He said, trying not to laugh.

"No…why?" Naminé asked quietly, giggling from the corny line Roxas had declared.

"Because you must be an angel to look illegally beautiful. I'm afraid you're under arrest." A smirk, and Roxas leaned his forehead affectionately against Naminé's.

"Oh? Pray tell officer, why would you arrest little ol' me?" She played along, clearly amused. Naminé rubbed her nose against Roxas' and purred like a comfortable kitten.

Before Roxas had a chance to reply from Naminé's cute gesture, his bedroom door slammed open. His precious door had been kicked in, the wood ripping easily off the hinges and knocking down his large bookcase.

Dust began to gather and create a small whirlwind, and Roxas and Naminé were frozen to the spot. They watched silently for what was happening, and hoped whoever had kicked the door in wasn't whom they expected.

_Unfortunately…_

"Well, well, well…looks like someone is with the person I specifically told her not to be around anymore. Naminé, I'm disappointed of you, I truly am. And Roxas…You have no idea how much you have angered me to bring her here." That voice, had resounded the apocalypse.

"_Oh no, it can't be…"_ Naminé thought, her heart beating out of fear.

"_That bastard is here…"_ Roxas narrowed his eyes, holding Naminé closer to him, shielding her from the invisible force that was her husband to be.

Hiro Takamura, Naminé's fiancé, had come. And he wasn't happy to see her in the arms of another man.

**The stage was set, now the curtain had gone up.**

**It was time…**

**Time for the actors to act and the music to play.**

**The showdown had begun.**

* * *

A word from the author…

Dun, dun, dun!! (Eyes widen from the evil cliffhanger) Wanna know what happens next? Well, you could review and tell me what you want to happen, because I have no freaking idea what to do next!

The purple button is calling your name, so review and critique please. Thank you! They are always highly appreciated.


	8. Blitzkrieg

**Chapter Eight!!**

**Note: If you guys want, check out my poll on my profile. I'm a little confused as to which fic I should finish, because all three of my core works are doing fairly well. So, please, check out my poll so that I can determine my decision and focus on one story instead of several all at once. Thanks.**

I thank all of my readers who have kept up with this steadily growing fic! I treasure each one of your reviews because they are filled with insight and entertainment that motivate me more than enough to continue it. So, thanks a lot you guys.

Princess Io

* * *

**Eight: Blitzkrieg**

Naminé hadn't imagined something like this to happen. Never in her life of twenty years that she had lived would it come down to this. And it all started after a meeting with her childhood best friend:

**Roxas.**

She doesn't regret spending time with him—but rather, unconditionally falling in love with another during the same time.

_The young successful woman had fallen…_

_Fallen beyond the reaching hand to redemption._

_She had fallen, in __**love. **__Fallen…for two._

_And the two, had fallen for her._

But, just **why** had this all begun in the first place? Could it be that Naminé had always desired to love Roxas, but kept it closed behind her lips? The very name had been there…fresh and waiting to be released.

It had, and unleashed a jealous fiancé who clearly would do anything in order to prevent Naminé from being allowed to love another.

However, the hero of darkness wasn't about to lose the girl of his dreams…

**AGAIN.**

He had already lost Naminé to Hiro more than once. Shame on him the first time, and shame on him the second time. It was interesting, this never-ending circle of regret, depression, remorse. Every single little emotion that caused a level of sadness on one or the other.

All three weren't destined to be happy, and someone had to pay the price in the current situation they had been forced to endure up until this very point in time.

Nevertheless, the twenty-year-old had realized the invisible _ultimatum_ that lay before her very eyes. If she were to give up loving Roxas, then everything would go back to the way it was before.

If she gave up Hiro, then she would have an opportunity to fix the tension she had created between herself and Roxas.

No matter what she did or decided to do beyond this point, would go down in peril.

_So…_

_What do you do?_

_When two loves of your life have overwhelmed you…_

_To the point where you just can't do anything that wouldn't endanger the other?_

Naminé attempted to calm down Hiro's rampant state, but no effort of hers was even heard. This wasn't her battle anymore; she wouldn't be able to win without Roxas, herself, or Hiro to fall.

_And to fall…_

_**They will.**_

**--**

"_Where had everything gone wrong…?"_

Tears soundlessly marred her picturesque features. She was _buried_ in pure disbelief. Just why had it all come down to this?

Hiro held his position a few feet shy of Roxas and Naminé. Lower law twitching, eyes flaring with various emotions; it was truly hard to tell just exactly how the esteemed heir of a powerful company felt at this very moment.

Hiro's darkened glare pierced through Naminé's delicate ego and toward Roxas' equally deadly expression.

It was a standoff, neither made the object to speak or move, for fear of inflicting damage on the one thing they both loved. A weak voice expectedly piped up, clearly feeling uneasy of the lengthy silence.

She began to speak, but it was quickly hushed out by Hiro's bellow. "You…**BITCH**!" He roared, imitating a wild animal. His hands shook simultaneously, body shaking from the tips of his dark hair to the bottoms of his toes within the soles of his shoes.

Naminé flinched from the sudden outburst, her knees buckling in response. Roxas stayed silent, and held up a hand that wrapped itself around her shoulders. He protectively held her close to his larger frame. His eyes narrowed dangerously.

Out of nowhere, Hiro snorted, an exasperated sigh escaping his lips. He leaned comfortably on one of his feet, shifting his weight to one side. Hiro placed one of his hands on his hip before casting his eyes to the plush green carpet at his feet.

"I've watched your every move since the **Wisteria Garden** incident."

The girl's eyes widened the size of dinner plates.

He opened his eyes, the grin spreading wider and stretched from ear to ear. He looked up at his fiancée. Hiro's devilish smile sent shivers up and down both Roxas and Naminé's spines.

The young man clicked his tongue in disappointment, "Tsk, tsk, tsk. You think I'm just playing the naïve boyfriend my dear?"

"I thought you would be a good, faithful young woman you portrayed to be. Instead, I watch you running off with your 'best friend' and you end up kissing him. You little _slut_—"

With quick as lightning reflexes, Roxas' calloused fist connect efficiently with Hiro's perfect features. Naminé hadn't seen just when Roxas stopped embracing her, and neither did a surprised twenty-year-old.

But that single punch was solid enough to inflict a moderate amount of damage. As he wiped his nose, Hiro could hear a slight cracking noise that made him lift his eyebrows. More rich blood dripped out profusely and stained his dry cleaned shirt.

However, before he was given the opportunity to retaliate, an obstacle lay in his way. "Stop!" Naminé's voice temporarily broke the bloodlust atmosphere that emitted a dark aura between the two men. Arms spread out defensively; Naminé's body began to shake, from dread and fear of getting hit.

"Please…stop Hiro. I'll…I'll…go with you. Just don't hurt Roxas…I-I'll never speak to him again, if you promise not to hurt him. I only…love…you."

Those words, spoken from a woman he has loved for so long, has done nothing but shatter his heart even further; if that was possible. Roxas' heart bled deliciously from the inside, the needles that mimicked Naminé's proclamation of love toward the heir probed him over and over.

"_Roxas…I can't love you…"_ They echoed repeatedly in his mind. Each word rippled like a pebble thrown into a pond, and stabbed his heart with every individual vibration.

Hypnotized by this sudden change of heart, Hiro lowered his fist from its current position in mid-air. That Cheshire grin reappeared again, and kept both suspects frozen to their spots.

With timid strides, the blond stopped short of a couple feet from Hiro's stiff stature. Only a small amount of space separated Naminé's torso from her fiancée's, but she couldn't help to think it was _too_ close for comfort.

One of the man's large hands had roughly cupped the underside of her cheek, curtly turning her face upward so the two held physical contact with one another. That oddly playful smile stayed plastered to Hiro's face as he shifted his point of view toward Roxas' cold gaze.

Roxas clenched his fists, his soul burning with the innate desire to wipe that egotistical grin off Hiro's fair visage. He held back a bark that sat on the edge of his lips, for fear of putting Naminé in any more danger than she already currently was.

But he just couldn't sit there, watching his best friend fall apart within the grasp of her alleged husband-to-be. It was painful and too gruesome to watch all at once. If _only_…If only he had told her years ago about how he felt…then maybe none of this crap would have come crashing down to ruin their budding relationship.

However…that was _never_ the case in the first place…

"When you **kissed** her candy flavored lips, her **creamy** neck and wrapped your hands around her **exquisite** hips…" Hiro started, snapping Roxas out of his regretful state.

"I'm betting you wanted to claim her right there at the beach huh? Or even at your darkened apartment after she told you of my **proposal**?"

**WHAT?!**

Naminé's eyes widened as she gasped. Her eyes glittered with confusion as she stepped backward from Hiro's body, his hand still grasping her chin. "Beach? Apartment? How—"

"You think I didn't know where you were during the times that you left your apartment my dear?"

"But…you told me you were working!"

"Are you implying that I'm a workaholic to the point where I don't know where you are each second of the day?"

"I'm sure she's **old** enough to take care of herself. Naminé doesn't need a possessive boyfriend like you to ensure she's safe." Roxas interrupted, taking a step toward Naminé. But something prevented him from moving forward.

_Click._

"Any closer, and I'll _pump_ you full of lead **Awayuki**." Hiro's voice dripped poisonously, his custom GP 35 coming into view. His left hand was perfectly poised; index finger gently perched on the trigger, ready to unleash a bullet at the necessary time.

Naminé's heart rate ran cold, her lower lip quivered as she looked at the horrifying sight that was her future husband.

"_No…"_

Roxas narrowed his gaze and gritted his teeth out of frustration. He was in the line of fire as well as Naminé. He could honestly care less about what happened to him. But for her…

Hiro's smug expression stayed plastered upon his visage, a look that clearly spelled out "Good boy, obey me like the dog you are."

However, his next move wasn't expected in the least. "Yumekii! Ueno!" He called out two names that Naminé recognized, but didn't have the opportunity to warn Roxas of what's to come.

* * *

Sora and Kairi gazed calmly at the night sky above. The two were happily enjoying themselves at Riku's condo having their 'Movie Night' to let out some heavy stress. It felt like old times, back when they always played together on the shores of Destiny Island; their home.

They hadn't chosen a movie yet, because Riku made a quick drive to a nearby grocery store to pick up snacks and the like for the features of the evening.

While he was away, Kairi decided to bring up an important subject that had been on her mind since Naminé's last visit at her apartment with Olette. She was concerned about Naminé, and figured that Sora should know more about Roxas' side of their twisted story.

Their game of chasing love was getting dangerous, especially if Hiro had no clue about them seeing each other for some time. "Sora…" she started, sipping her water bottle. The brunette stopped looking through Riku's DVD collection and sat himself on the couch next to his girlfriend.

"Hmm?"

"I'm…worried about Roxas and Naminé. I feel, that maybe…they shouldn't be seeing each other; no matter how right it might feel to them. I mean, Naminé is getting married very soon and it's not fair to Hiro if he discovers that she's…well…cheating with Roxas."

Sora sighed, scratched the back of his head and closed his eyes. He casually leaned his back onto the arm of the loveseat before speaking. Pondered, pondered, and pondered. Then he spoke.

"Well Kai…Nam and Rox…those two have it hard. One's chasing after the other to attempt changing her mind, but the other isn't saying 'no' to his advances…it's a crazy circle. I don't really know how to interpret this any other way because they're not **us** and we're not **them**."

"I just…want to try and help them through this, I feel like me doing nothing won't solve a damn thing." A sigh.

"Sometimes all we can do is watch. Roxas and Naminé…and even Hiro have to find some way to solve it." Riku added, closing the door and locking it, he had returned and overheard his best friends' conversation.

He joined them, sitting on a single chair opposite from the loveseat and added his two cents. "Naminé may seem like a confused girl—but I don't think so. She's been separate from you long enough to decide on certain things that she wants and others that she doesn't. Point blank: she can't choose between her heart and her loyalties. They both point in opposite directions."

Sora nodded, agreeing with Riku's observation. And Kairi was still hesitant about the whole situation, being half of Naminé is what made her think otherwise.

"Maybe Riku, but it still makes me think that she might be doing something in order to compromise for the other. But—"

"Basically, she loves 'em both and doesn't want to lose either. Case closed. It's their problem to solve, and we have no right to intervene."

"There's only so much that we can do Kairi." Sora patted the scarlet haired woman on the shoulder, giving her a sad and lopsided grin.

Talking about something so ambiguous and downright depressing was bringing their spirits down. It's a sad tragedy that has befallen upon Roxas, Naminé and Hiro.

There was nothing they could do but pray that Naminé make the right decision. To choose Roxas and break off the engagement or to stay distant from the former Organization XIII member and stay with Hiro.

The strange thing was there still existed remnants of Roxas and Naminé's hearts that lived within Sora's and Kairi's. They could feel their pain, their happiness, and every other emotion just by thinking deeply about their other halves.

It wasn't a sudden burst of energy, but rather, small probes at the wildest of times. Their memories and hearts will still intertwined, quite the phenomenon.

Kairi placed a hand on her chest and closed her eyes. She concentrated solely on her steady heartbeat, the active organ pumping with easy and gently drumbeats. Bits and pieces of memories flashed through her mind: times from when she first met her Nobody in her cell when she had been imprisoned.

Each one of those segments she had watched through her very own eyes, as well as Naminé's. But now, she had seen something else.

_Something…more urgent._

_It was dangerous, and moving._

But…what was it?

She creased her eyebrows, lids still concealing her pupils from view. Sora leaned forward, curious as to know just what his best friend was doing. Riku followed suit.

Both young men watched meticulously, comprehending the method that Kairi was performing by listening to the echoes of her heart.

"Kairi…?" They both asked, but the girl hadn't listened. She had tuned everything else out long ago.

She was now in a state of meditation; challenging herself to connect with her other half Naminé.

* * *

The two bodyguards, known as Yumekii and Ueno had come to Hiro's aid. Apparently, since Naminé may not have been willing to leave with him as he expected, he was forced to commence his hidden plan.

Hiro's personal guards—there at his beck and call—were on either side of an injured Roxas, incarcerating him from reaching Naminé and himself.

Eyes of wine were triumphant in this battle, gaining his victory by retrieving his girlfriend and humiliating his competition.

As a lasting touch after Yumekii and Ueno roughly shoved Roxas onto the hard floor and into the wall, he grabbed Naminé and placed her in view. Blood had stained Roxas' forehead, and spilled over one of his swollen eyes, forcing him to close it from getting any of the liquid inside.

"Too bad you didn't claim her as your own when you had the chance. I congratulate over the fact that you kept her pure; like I always have since the day I've been dating her. And when I marry her, it will be glorious when I get her into bed."

"You damn coward. Calling your bodyguards just to double-team me. You're not even man enough to take me on yourself. Some husband you'll be." Roxas countered, spitting out some blood from his split lip.

He had trouble breathing, but was managing to stay awake and not passing out from the beating her endured. His side burned and his head ached, but he wasn't about to back out of this fight. Roxas had a slim chance of winning, so he was going to try everything he could turn the tables.

Hiro's Cheshire grin disappeared, and was replaced with a grim expression. He beckoned with a finger, silently calling Naminé over to him. Yumekii informally pushed her small body toward his master since she refused to comply.

Stumbling, Naminé slapped Hiro's face in defiance. While he was in a state of shock, she ran over to Roxas' bloody body—but Ueno stopped her and gripped her shoulders tightly.

"Let me go Ueno!! Dammit! Roxas needs medical attention!"

Hiro touched the tender spot on his cheek from where Naminé had slapped him, and then grabbed the girl by her hair from behind. He dragged her toward Roxas' semi-paralyzed figure. He stopped short a few paces from him, hand still in a vice grip on her delicate strands of gold.

He backhanded her, much to Roxas' surprise. The strike sent her toppling to the floor, banging her head onto the surface of the wooden floor as well.

"You bitch. How _dare_ you bite the hand that feeds you. Be lucky I haven't killed you over cheating on me. I told you to shut the hell up, and yet again you refuse to listen to me. You sicken me…you're no better than a piece of _shit_."

Naminé held her cracked jaw tenderly, her wrist had been sprained from the fall and her head spun due to contact with the hard wooden floor of Roxas' room.

"You can go to **hell** Hiro. Marrying the devil would better suit your taste." Her sardonic suggestion had been just above a whisper, but it was loud enough for everyone to hear.

A click soon followed, and the trigger had been pulled.

**BANG!**

The loud gunshot rang through Naminé's ears like a Cathedral bell. Her shoulders shook; eyes closed tightly in her half seated position. Hiro had shot one of the bullets toward her, but missed purposely to intimidate her.

"Say that again you snobbish **whore**. And I won't miss the second time."

Roxas built up enough strength to get off his feet and tackle Hiro from behind and onto the ground. They wrestled for what seemed like minutes upon hours. Kicking, punching, cursing, they had done it all.

Yumekii and Ueno cut in, one knocking Roxas over the back of his head and the other peeling a bloodthirsty Hiro in order to compose himself. Yumekii had shoved Roxas into another wall, this time his back cracking from contact with the surface.

His head lolled to one side as he huffed desperately for air. He was losing blood too quickly, and it was getting dangerous.

Hiro's nose continued to bleed from another one of Roxas' hard upper cuts. He walked over to pick up his GP 35 and approached Roxas for the second time. Poised again in his left hand, the gun stood proud and reflected off the light in the room.

"Asshole. This is my favorite shirt. I'll make sure you stay away from my girl, by killing you first."

He fired a bullet that lodged itself into the Keyblade master's right thigh. Roxas cried in pain from the impact, a bloody hand covering the wound.

Hiro towered over him; a dark shadow concealing half his profile when he smiled malevolently as he witnessed Roxas' agony.

Another click, and Naminé's attention had snapped toward the vibrating sound. She didn't know what to do! Her legs wanted to move, but she felt stuck to the ground!

"_Dammit! I have to stop him!"_ Her mind pleaded for movement, and was granted it.

Her hand reached out helplessly to a distant and suffering Roxas.

Roxas bitterly chuckled, closing his eyes and lifted his nose proudly into the air. Guess he never got the chance to tell Naminé anything. To declare a final goodbye. To tell _everyone_…that he'll deeply miss them all.

"_Looks like…this is the end."_

"ROXAS!!"

**BANG!**

**BANG!**

His head came up as he watched, the image focus blurring in and out. Warm liquid had begun to cover himself and his attire.

A hand had been lifted into view…_**blood.**_

"_What the HELL?!"_ More of the familiar substance multiplied at a quickened rate. What just happened?

He felt his veins that pumped life through his body run cold…

_Something_ didn't seem right…

Didn't…**feel** right…

His mind reeled—wanting to understand the circumstances that had occurred in seconds' time. Roxas breathed slowly, his other hand coming into view.

Also bloody. All of a sudden, something had been pressured onto his chest, something…_heavy_.

_Could this be the end?_

--

Voices and other ear splitting sounds had rung throughout the entire living quarters. Bodies were being carried off for medical examination. People talking all at once, and someone talking to Roxas.

"Sir? Sir? Stay awake for me please…what's your name?" The voice was feminine.

He felt like he was falling…falling…into darkness.

Just where was that voice coming from?

"What's your name?" They repeated, the sirens returning again. A few occasional speed bumps and turns within the proximity where Roxas had been placed accordingly, and then he replied.

It sounded like he had stuttered, due to stress and the fatal injuries that had been inflicted upon him. But the pain had temporarily subsided long enough for a clear indication.

"…"

"…"

"…"

"…Roxas."

Thereafter, the monitor that had been attached to him showed signs of his heart being unable to pump further. It slowed and sped up back and forth. Roxas immediately had fallen unconscious, the thunderous distress signal echoing like a distant memory, obscurity had been evident then, and it was certainly evident now.

--

Both Sora and Kairi reacted in an unusual way after several moments of absolute silence. "Ah!" Sora clutched his heart, it felt on fire! For what reason, he didn't know!

Kairi's eyebrows creased, her lids still shut until she opened them. Tears the shade of ruby had fallen from the ducts. She clenched her heart as well, but Sora bravely grasped one of her hands. He pulled her in close and embraced her.

"Guys!" Riku stood up from seeing the blood. He began to panic—wanting to be informed of what to do.

More silence followed, and Riku shook Sora by the shoulders. He called their names several times, shaking harder and eventually shaking.

Their states had been broken, and the two looked toward their best friend. Kairi's tears had changed back to normal from their alienated color of _cherry_.

She mouthed a few words until she could grasp proper language and sound from her dry esophagus.

Both her and Sora replied in unison, still facing Riku.

"Roxas…and Naminé…"

The two names that had passed their lips held importance. Their other halves were in **peril**.

* * *

A word from the author…

Thanks for reading! I hope you stay tuned for the ninth chapter as well—when I upload it. Critique, comments and suggestions are always appreciated. Thank you. By the way, a GP (Grande Puissance) 35 is a handgun. Its full name is actually a Browning 9mmx19 Hi-Power.


	9. Kristallnacht

I missed writing for this dramatic tale. Anyway, I've returned and that's all that matters.

**Thanks again for all your support, critique and reviews. Please don't forget to vote in the poll on my profile. It'd be a big help for me, thank you. I especially thank my Beta Riku of Darkness for editing this chapter and the ones prior to it.  
**

Princess Io

* * *

**Nine: Kristallnacht**

_Darkness surrounded him at all sides; no matter where he looked, the scenery bereft of color existed and capacitated him. He could feel a faint anxiety of claustrophobia overwhelming him. It was getting to be too much to handle, too much to bear all at once._

_He wanted to scream, to be brought back to reality—but that was not so._

_"__Where…am I?" He said to himself, his voice echoing in nothingness forever until the sound had ceased. Soon it began to get cold, the temperature dropping with drastic measures. A thick cloud of vapor escaped his mouth, the only color he could see within eyesight._

_It disappeared as quickly as it had come, and that was that. Another followed it and his breathing had become a consistent pattern of color. His heart proved otherwise, beating at unpredicted rates ranging from very fast to painfully slow as if the young man was tinkering on the edge of death._

_"__Roxas."_

_His name was called out by another voice, the unknown source coming from nowhere. The owner of the name searched for the direction but hadn't didn't gain any new knowledge than before._

_The blond could feel no ground from beneath his feet, realizing he was suspended in the air by no force that he recognized. The voice called out to him again, this time more urgent and desperate._

_Snapping his head to peer from behind his shoulder, Roxas started to run. He turned his head back to its original position before taking off. He ran with endless stamina, his heart beating in his chest like it threatened to rupture if he didn't cease his pursuit._

_Roxas denied his heart's wishes and continued further despite not knowing if he was even moving anywhere. The running continued for long moments at a time, until something came into view. It was a small ball of white light; like salvation waiting for him at the end of a dark tunnel._

_The light progressively grew, drawing Roxas ever closer like a moth to a flame. He wanted to reach out and touch it, to make sure it was real, but suppressed the urge._

_"__Yo! Roxas! C'mon, man! Riku and the guys are going to the Destiny Bean to grab something to drink!"_

_"__Are you insane?! That's like an ice cube being thrown into a pit of lava!"_

_"__Roxas, are you alright?"_

_"__You were asleep nearly ten hours. I'm surprised you recovered so quickly."_

_"…__It was my first drink; once you get past the pungent flavor you'll be fine."_

_"__Hiro. He…proposed to me this morning–"_

_"__Roxas, I can't love you."_

_"__You mean you don't remember last night?"_

_"__Roxas! This isn't funny!"_

_"__Oh Roxas…maybe you two just—I'm sorry but, maybe you two just weren't destined to be together…"_

_"__I'll make sure you stay away from my girl, by killing you first."_

_"__**ROXAS!**"_

* * *

Roxas' eyelids, regardless of their non-activity, snapped open seconds after his name had been shouted. Small quantities of perspiration coated his grimy face and shed what remained of his teenage years.

His head felt like it had suffered countless concussions, and what was worse was the damn ringing sounding like the Liberty bell in his ear canals.

He wanted to plug his ears of the dreadful sound, but his arms, let alone body couldn't move even a centimeter. Roxas knit his eyebrows together in frustration; it was too painful to even _think_ of moving around, he was uncomfortable wherever the hell he was, and worst of all:

**He couldn't recall what had happened before waking up here.**

It didn't last long however. The white washed ceilings began to send messages to his damaged brain. His eyes scaled every inch his line of vision was permitted, and he pieced the puzzle together.

"I see you're awake." a familiar voice stated. Judging by the tone, it appeared to be female and made him all the more curious to discover her identity.

The clicks and clacks of high heels reached Roxas' buzzed hearing, and surprisingly cleared out the stuffy hollows of his ears. As the woman approached where he lay, the man could feel, for a split second, that his heart skipped a beat.

A white coat came into view, and Roxas was forced to look upward on the tall figure to see the face of his "caretaker". His glacier pupils widened by whom she was. _It can't be…frickin' dammit._

Honeysuckle locks that reached just the bottom of her concealed breasts were the first features Roxas had come into contact with. One part had been carelessly tossed over her right shoulder while the other half rested neatly on her left shoulder blade.

The jacket that belonged to the woman had opened to reveal a modest neckline of fair skin. A pure silver necklace with an Opal stone was looped around her exposed neck. Full lips followed, then a small pointed nose and finally the eyes.

She smiled and spoke to break his concentration. "Haven't we…met before?" It sounded more suggestive than an innocent question. It was then that Roxas knew just who the doctor that stood before him.

His throat was too dry and raspy for speech, but he wanted to say, "No. Though I've met a whore like you at a bar not too long ago." Of course, it was impossible at the moment.

Piercing violet stared at Roxas, as if seeing into his soul. He felt naked and vulnerable when she bent down, her face around eight inches from his own. It was getting uncomfortable for him, an unwanted shiver snaking up around his paralyzed spine.

Her lids lowered to seductive slits—half glaring and half of something Roxas was unable to think of at the time. She pulled back and returned to professional stature. "Forgive me, I thought you were someone else."

Roxas let out a breath forcefully, coughing thereafter. He received immediate attention from the nameless doctor who placed a gentle hand on his unfeeling shoulder. His coughing fits calmed down, and he was silent again.

Sighing, the doctor finally introduced herself. "I'm Dr. Shinichiro. Your name…is Roxas right?" she flipped a page on her clipboard.

"Hmm, multiple fractures…external and internal bleeding…" she continued to mumble to herself.

"Well…there isn't much I can do for you right now Roxas." Shinichiro said finally after flipping a few more pages on his medical report. She clicked the top of her pen and wrote something on a sheet of paper and then tucked it away.

"For now I'll just refill your IV fluid and then we'll see of any improvement tomorrow morning. Or rather, in a few hours time."

After finishing her sentence, the blond doctor gave Roxas one last smile—or smirk in his opinion—before turning on her heel and turning out the light of the spacious hospital room.

Roxas was left to his thoughts once again, the moonlight his only witness and source of illumination. He calmly looked out toward the large window that viewed the outside world. The blond felt imprisoned, not knowing how long he had already taken residence.

"_How long–this is all my fault. Ugh, I feel sick."_ he thought, grimacing at the twinges all over his body. It felt as fragile at glass; any kind of contact would probably break him in half.

Nonetheless, sleep began to overcome Roxas' tired state and welcomed him with open arms.

His heart rate slowed to a small echoing beat, each thump matching every breath.

* * *

The very next morning came all too quickly, and Roxas felt uneasy knowing that something was amiss. That _something_ wasn't giving him good vibes at all. Dr. Shinichiro had arrived again; sun kissed hair tied back in a neat bun and eyes shining as bright as a crystallized amethyst.

He dreaded seeing his assigned doctor, simply because she reminded him of someone whom he held most dear. She smiled again when she approached where he laid and took out her black pen from the breast pocket of her white coat.

"Good morning." she chirped happily, sitting on the nearby chair to get a closer look at her patient.

Roxas still couldn't find the energy to speak, so he resorted to just grunting in response. His eyes widened at the doctor's nametag when he finally got a good look. _"Wait a minute…"_

He just couldn't put his tongue on it, but he knew he recognized her. A name as unusual as hers wasn't hard to point out in a crowd, but he tried and failed to connect the dots. Perhaps he would eventually, when the time was right.

"Well, I believe you're going to have to be under extreme care for the next few days. Most of your injuries are already treated, but today we need to re-bandage you and get x-rayed. Then I need to see how well you can breathe and check your vocal chords since you haven't spoken yet. It sounds like a lot, but trust me, it'll go by so fast you won't notice. Okay? I'll be right back to get you prepared. A nurse will come in and assist me."

Shinichiro patted Roxas on the shoulder and gave his joint a gentle squeeze before standing. She pushed back a curtain that separated him from seeing the other half of his large room and checked a neighboring patient.

She did the same routine as she did with Roxas with another clipboard, quietly sketching notes and then finally leaving. After clicking the door shut, Roxas could breathe without prejudice. He felt uneasy around Dr. Shinichiro and felt it was necessary.

He closed his eyes, slowly imagining and wishing he would get out of this horrifying nightmare of a place. As much as it was supposed to be comforting and tranquil, he still desired to leave, even in his unstable state.

Minutes later Dr. Shinichiro returned with a stethoscope and other smaller gadgets that Roxas didn't recognize. He raised a keen eyebrow, a bit intimidated as to what the doctor might do to him. Her eyes came in contact with his and she smiled that alluring grin like last night.

"Don't worry Roxas…I don't bite."

"_What the hell?!"_

That last sentence she had said only made him more disgusted and dirty inside. Why in the hell was this woman flirting with him when she's supposed to be taking care of his physical health? He shuddered from other images popping into his mind as she began to use the stethoscope.

He watched her with meticulous glances, each movement she made forcing him to think of what she would do next. Dr. Shinichiro leaned over toward him and pulled back his bed sheets so she could untie the back of his hospital clothing.

Roxas' arms for some strange reason couldn't do anything to prevent her from loosening the top, so he suffered by just watching. With the ties undone, the woman peeled his shirt down to his waist and exposed his muscled chest.

He could tell her sight had stayed there for too long on his upper torso, and that only set him on edge further. Ogling was way more than illegal in Roxas' case, especially in a hospital!

The cold surface of the stethoscope slid across Roxas' paled skin while Dr. Shinichiro listened for his heartbeat. The room was also cold due to the air conditioner configurations and it made the blond quake a bit from the sudden warmth abandoning his body.

Unfortunately, not even the bandages wrapped securely around his abdominal area provided heat.

She continued to inspect the signs for irregular beating patterns, and finally stopped when she had finished. "Hmm…" she contemplated, quickly writing a few more notes on her clipboard.

"Your heart is in perfect shape, just getting over the shock from the incident. It should calm down in a few more days, but just in case I'll prescribe some medicine if you get any problems."

The nurse the Shinichiro had mentioned came in and introduced herself. "Dr. Shinichiro, um…your patient has visitors. And room C-27 needs another spare doctor making rounds. It won't take long." she looked to Roxas and a small smile spread across her lips. It was placid, unlike the doctor's smirk.

"_Thank GOD."_ Roxas emitted an exasperated sigh when the doctor wasn't looking. She turned back to him; her expression had fallen low and feigned obligation—in his opinion.

"I suppose I'll return Mr. Awayuki. Then I can finish…examining you. By the way, you can call me Iena instead of Dr. Shinichiro."

A wink and lick of her lips, she finally stood from her seat and turned on her heel. It was a graceful turn indeed, but that didn't faze the man at all.

She swayed her hips to further emphasize her sexuality before finally disappearing behind the hospital door.

--

Not long when the doctor had exited was when his friends came practically pouring through the squished entryway. Sora came rushing in, followed behind by Riku and Kairi. Hayner, Trinity, Sakuya and Pence arrived mere minutes later.

"Rox! How're you feeling, man?"

"Hey Roxas, you okay?"

"Oh man, you got totaled! What the hell did you do to yourself this time?"

"Roxas. Surprised you're awake. It's been so long."

"You comfortable in the hospital? You look spooked."

"Roxas, glad to see you're alright."

So many voices were pinpointed toward him all at once, and Roxas didn't have the ability to keep track of who was speaking to him at the moment. The noise progressively got louder, and he raised his hands defensively to quiet them.

Each one of his friends surrounded him; Riku and Trinity sitting both sides of his bedridden body, Pence and Sakuya near the window, Sora lounging on a stool with Kairi close by, and Hayner and Olette were at the feet of the bed. Roxas grinned, content shone in his eyes.

Despite all the worried expressions on his friend's faces, it felt like home seeing all of them here with him in this cold and desolate place.

"…Hey guys." his voice was raspy and barely above a whisper. Before he had the opportunity to say more, Kairi gingerly tied the knot of his hospital shirt to cover his chest.

All eyes were on him, and Riku was the first to speak. "Dude, it's good…to see you're awake. The past few days we visited on our breaks and stuff, but you were down and out for the count."

"How…long…?"

"Mmm…it's been almost two weeks since—"

"Two WEEKS?!" Roxas yelled, sitting up abruptly and struggling to get out of bed. He just couldn't believe the news he was receiving.

So not only was he almost killed, but slept it all off for half a month. He didn't know how to react from all the shock that had overloaded him mentally, but he wanted out.

_Now._

Sora placed his hands on Roxas' weakened frame, pushing him back into the pillows of the bed. He shook his head stubbornly, attempting to fight against his best friend's grip. The brunette applied enough pressure on Roxas' chest and he reluctantly gave in.

"Roxas…please, take it easy. Your injuries." Olette suggested, laying her hand on top of his. He looked to her, the dark blue in his eyes giving her a dangerous warning.

His cold demeanor toward her gave her the chills. She slowly withdrew her hand until Roxas squeezed it in his grip; a silent apology.

--

"You don't remember all that happened two weeks ago?" Pence asked, putting a small vase of flowers on the nightstand near Roxas' bed.

Roxas shook his head again, concentration evident by how he clenched and unclenched his fists. They felt clammy and uneasy; he was twitching for action and was getting tired of sitting here while he could do nothing.

"Guys…" Kairi's voice broke the tension. Everyone turned to her and she held a sad smile across her lips. She looked to Sora, and then cast her eyes to the tiled floor. Her hand was fisted in on the colorless curtain that gave Roxas privacy.

"Don't tell me." Roxas said, voice still groggy from strain.

On cue, the red haired woman pulled away the curtain. The others looked in dismay and grief. There was another inmate that Roxas shared the room with. They at first paid no heed to them, until their identity wasn't concealed any longer.

Roxas' eyes widened like never before. The sight they saw was by far, the worst and most emotional moment he had ever had to witness.

His already broken heart just became shattered glass and the debris blew away into the distance. This evening just couldn't get any worse…could it?

All this time he had been asleep, Naminé had _suffered_ there along with him. She was so close, and he failed to see that she lay there. A lifeless figure who once had so much life. Now it appeared that it would take a long time for her to recover, possibly more than Roxas himself.

**Naminé**…

Bandages were wrapped around the patient's head and covered her right eye. One other cotton gauze was taped to her left cheek and a few more white bandages were wrapped around the circumference of her neck. Tuffs and strands of her bleach blond hair stuck out in awkward positions and lost the shine they had before the incident.

Naminé's bruises and scars were identical to Roxas' but hers were more defined, still fresh on her pallid skin. He scanned more of her exposed body, one side of her hospital shirt sagging and showing a creamy shoulder. There were bandages around her chest from the low neckline on the front.

Kairi sat on the edge of Naminé's bed, watching her with guilt weighing on her mind. Tears escaped from the corner of her eye and traced a moist path along her cheek. Sora wrapped his arm around Kairi's shoulders, comforting her.

Everyone didn't have a single word to say. Roxas and Naminé's heart machines beeped back and forth in the quiet room in a steady beat. Trinity looked to the twenty-year-old, her pupils of lavender threatening to release pent up grief.

When the door had been opened, Iena walked in and no one cared to notice her presence. Sighing, Dr. Shinichiro clicked her high heels and traveled toward Naminé's bed. She readjusted the oxygen mask over the young woman's lower face and refilled her IV tube.

"Doctor…" Roxas voiced. "How is…she?"

Biting her lip nervously, Iena opened her mouth to speak. Not a single word had left her vocal chords for moments. She sighed again and closed her eyes. The doctor rubbed her aching temples and then looked promptly at the blonde.

"I'm sorry, but until someone related to Naminé or her spouse arrives, I'm obligated to not release any information."

"But I—I'm her best friend."

Another shake of her head, tossing some hairs and the clip loosening further. "Really, it's my job. I cannot and will not release confidential information—"

"**Dammit all!** What the frick?! Shit, just tell me she's—" Roxas screamed and began to sit up. He ripped the IV from his arm, surprising the group. They stood planted to the spot as they watched in horror. The boy wasn't himself; this rage he kept inside had been unleashed.

He pushed the sheets from his lower body and swung his legs over to the edge. Adrenaline rushed through his blood veins, pumping bountiful energy throughout. Roxas' irises glared, the iciest cerulean glinting within them and stopping everyone dead in their tracks.

The other connections that held him attached to the machines in his bed had been torn off with little difficult. Roxas stumbled to the fearful doctor the tiled floor biting relentlessly at the balls of his bare feet. He disregarded the agony taking a toll on his body; he fully concentrated on Dr. Shinichiro.

"You **BITCH!** Tell me what's wrong with Naminé!" The echoes of his voice boomed so loud, passerbies could hear from outside the closed door. His large hands held Iena's coat in a vice grip and he began to shake her as he vented out his caged anger.

Iena pleaded, but Roxas ignored her cries. Riku and Sora took immediate action and went to restrain their best friend. Kairi watched with sad eyes, still holding Naminé's hand close and warm.

"Rox! You don't want to do this!"

"Stop! You're going to hurt her!"

Sora caught Roxas in a headlock from behind, bracing his head with the palmed centers of his hands. Riku grabbed Roxas' flailing legs and held them like a constricting viper. They struggled with Roxas, dragging him back to his bed just minutes before other doctors and nurses had come into the room.

"Fuck you guys! Let. Me. **GO!**" Roxas bit and spat, wanting nothing more than to strangle the doctor so she would tell him what he needed to know. His shouts persisted until he had gotten strapped to his bed.

Sora and Riku held down his arms even while Roxas continued bellowing. He was quickly sedated, and the raging episode had ended. The two keyblade masters looked at each other and exchanged glances to Roxas.

It was the first time in a long time for the blonde to snap the way he did.

* * *

_"Roxas…"_

"_So, that's what happened between you and Naminé huh?"_

"_Maybe you two just aren't meant to be together. Just because it's not her, doesn't mean it has to be right?"_

"_That's not…true."_

_Back into this darkness again. Falling, falling, falling further into nothing. This endless pit of despair consumed his already shredded heart. It fed upon his dignity, pride and whatever else it could scavenger for._

_Roxas had been told it took time for wounds to heal. The things in life that constantly stab you until you bleed to death often times mean the most. And yet, they are disappointing and fail to bring you closer to your wants and needs._

_This light headed feeling felt a lot like his favorite children's book, _Alice In Wonderland_. He imagined carousels and floating lamps alike, each individual object flew up while he flew downward._

_A pack of cards were also suspended in air. A jack, king, two, ace…all fifty-two without a meaningful purpose whatsoever. A pair of dice streamed by his ear, some jacks and a small orange ball following behind like ducklings to their mother._

"_This is all a dream," he kept telling himself. Roxas' condition worsened, his sanity slinking away from his mind. His falling came to an abrupt stop; the young man must have reached the bottom of the blackened pit._

_Large pieces of glass begin to come into view, encircling him and spinning slowly. He could see pictures and soundless memories coming to life in the material. There were many he recognized, and others he could hardly recall._

_His eighteenth birthday…_

_Entrance Exam day…_

_His first job interview…_

_A family reunion…_

_Meeting all his friends and spending a day at the beach…_

_Apartment hunting…_

_Sora, Riku, Kairi, Trinity, Pence, Hayner, Sakuya, Olette, and one more person, but their face was shrouded in shadows. Their smile was familiar, but everything else was difficult to decipher._

_Each shattered glass piece twirled and concealed the previous memory to create a new one on the opposite side. It continued for what seemed like an eternity. Some memories were heart wrenching, others filled with laughter and nostalgia._

_Roxas yearned to return to those times and forget about what had happened since then. He wanted to be like Peter Pan, never have a desire to grow up and live everyday as a child. He wanted to escape this mess he had generated; it was overwhelming him._

_Why couldn't everything just be the way it was before he reunited with Naminé—wait, could that mean he regrets __**falling in love**__ with her?_

_No._

_Does she even love him the same—_

_**No.**_

_He was being used—toyed with rather, by none other than a selfish and confused girl. A girl who led him to believe she was interested in a serious relationship. A girl whom he kept safe in his protective embrace. A girl who…_

"_No. That's not true. Is it?"_

_Self-doubt was the worst he could possibly think of as a valid result._

_Hiro knew all along she was cheating on him behind his back. It was only a matter of time before he exploited her plans to draw Roxas close. It's all her fault. It was her fault from the beginning._

_If only…_

_If __**only**__…_

_Why didn't he just turn away when they first kissed at the Moon Beach?_

_**Why**__ dammit?!_

"_I need you. I need you here. I need you now."_

_Who—where?_

_Peering from behind his shoulder, Roxas felt a beckoning aura coming from out of nowhere, practically ringing in every direction. It appealed to him in a curious manner, as if beseeching his presence at the tip of a curling and uncurling finger. The man walked toward it, not knowing where it would take him._

_Another path led him down memory lane, as if the shattered glass that entailed divergent fragments of the past wasn't enough. They all pricked and prodded him like the thinnest of thorns. Roxas felt he was being judged and punished when he gazed at broken times._

_When he first cried…_

_Blossoming from an estranged boy to a growing young man…_

_Pure naivety to drenching in the filth of the world…_

_Rejection and dejection…_

_Withdrawal and sadness…_

_It was all rushing back into his face like the hardest slap he had ever received. But what was the message behind the stained glass that was telling the fables and stories of his life. It spelled something out, something he couldn't grasp the concept of._

"_Roxas."_

"_I love you Naminé."_

_**Who**__ was that?_

_Roxas' eyes widened at the sound of his own voice, it spoke to whatever was vibrating in his chest. It burned, unknowingly rekindling something that lay dormant within. He was unsure of how to react to this…this feeling. How was he supposed to?_

* * *

"Damn." Roxas whispered, coming back to a conscious state once more. Whether that was a dream or nightmare, he couldn't tell except for the pain he had endured while experiencing it.

It was so vivid; his fingertips were tingling in anticipation. They were erect and at full attention. He felt like he had really reached toward something, and not just in his petrified state with the dream, but outside of it too.

The man's eyelids felt like lead weights, threatening to close shut if he didn't fight against the temptation. All of this stress, it was too much to take in at one injection. He preferred to suffer in smaller doses. Yes, he could definitely handle those. Not **this.**

"Second time this week huh? You're making more progress, that's a first for me to see…"

His precarious stare locked eyes with the same violet orbs he had become acquainted with: Iena's—Dr. Shinichiro as she was known in this facility.

She cocked her head to the side and smiled that ridiculous grin again. Her cheerful attitude was fake and there was no doubt about it.

Iena held her hands up defensively after seeing Roxas' deadly glare. "Don't worry, I'm just going to prepare you for an x-ray, and Himeno is going to help me." Right on cue, an anxious and twitchy nurse appeared with a small tray holding a glass of water and a pair of blue and red pills.

"Here."

Himeno brought the tray and set it onto Roxas' nightstand for him to take. "Um…will you take the red pill or the blue pill first Mr. Awayuki?" her voice sounded cracked, like a broken record.

She fumbled with her uniform in a nervous manner while casting her gaze to her shoes.

Roxas only reacted by quirking an eyebrow, the young nurse sure was interesting to observe. But what was even more surprising was how the nurse failed to lift her head up when he addressed her.

She was trembling, like he exerted too much power over her and threatened to snap at the next instant.

He narrowed his eyes when a faint tinge of rose grazed across the girl's cheeks. To think she couldn't look at him simply because of his vulnerable state—hah! More like she had some level of affection toward him suited the description better.

"Red."

He popped the medicine into his mouth without a second thought and went to retrieve the glass of water.

Dr. Shinichiro gripped it first and held it daintily by her fingertips at the rim.

Roxas knew the game she was initiating, and he wouldn't stand for meaningless flirting. But for some reason, his senses weren't as heightened as he thought…so an attempt to swipe at the glass was to no avail.

Iena tittered, waving the clear liquid encased in a cylinder object in front of Roxas' face.

"Say please!"

_**Hell. Freaking. NO.**_

Roxas grit his teeth, feeling humiliated in a darkened room with a flustered nurse and a nuisance of a doctor. No good for nothing b—

"Yo Rox! Glad to see you're awake." Sora's voice came to the rescue. If Roxas wasn't bedridden, he probably might have kissed the guy out of pure gratitude.

He could hear the doctor pout before handing the water to Roxas in an obedient fashion. "Two minutes Mr. Awayuki, then Himeno will lead you to the x-ray room."

At that, Iena had disappeared from sight, a soft click at the door signifying her quick exit. Sora sat on the side of Roxas' bed, still smiling despite all the sadness.

"We weren't sure when you were going to be awake, so I came by just to see for myself. Good timing for me it looks like."

How good it felt to hear a voice Roxas actually wanted to hear at the moment. After drinking the contents in his glass, he felt all the more refreshed than before. "Sure is. Isn't it a little late for you to be visiting me anyway?"

Sora explained that it was eleven o'clock that evening and visiting hours didn't end until three in the morning. There was still plenty of time, and before Roxas knew it everyone else would be arriving soon too.

That nurse—whatever her name was—reappeared in Roxas' room and called out to him. Sora looked to Roxas and asked what was going on. The blond decided not to answer and requested he help him out of bed.

Himeno rushed to Roxas' side as well, but he didn't notice, nor did he care. She pulled back the sheets as Roxas began to place one foot on the freezing floor. They really needed to turn down the air conditioner…it was taking a serious toll on his feet.

Sora wrapped a hand around his side, careful not to press too hard onto his rib section. Roxas' other hand looped over the brunette's shoulders. It had been a long time since he walked…since _that_ incident actually.

The nurse that remained nameless to Roxas followed behind, pushing along his IV poll.

The x-rays and re-bandaging took a shorter amount of time than Roxas had thought, he just felt healthier and healthier with each individual step. As far as he was concerned, his vocal chords just felt a bit swollen for who knows what reason, and that his broken bones still needed further treatment.

"Why the hell did you have me take a pill earlier anyway?" Roxas asked rudely, crossing his arms over his chest.

He sat on top of the examination table after putting his hospital gown back on from the x-rays. Iena turned to him and smiled while twirling a lock of her golden hair in between her index and middle fingers.

"Just healing medicine, one for the morning and one for the night. The red was the night pill and the blue was the morning one."

"Then why'd you have that nurse ask me whichever pill for me to take? What if I took the blue one instead?"

"You wouldn't have. It's as simple as that Roxas."

"_What a strange woman."_

He didn't have anything to retaliate from her blatant comment, and opted to sit silent and drift into his own thoughts.

It was currently 1:23am, and Roxas was settled back into his depressing hospital bed. Kairi and Sora were perched together asleep on a nearby loveseat while Riku and Trinity watched Naminé's unconscious body stir in her sleep.

Pence and Hayner had gone home to sleep for work in a few hours while Sakuya and Olette left to get food for the gang. It was peaceful in the room and no one dared to break that golden silence.

Until…

Muffled voices could be heard from outside the door and it caught Roxas' attention. Everyone else was too tired or too distracted to notice but him. There were fragments of the conversation leaking through the doorway. Some were shouts while the one that responded was a plea or stoic and even sentences.

The door burst open, knocking Riku and Trinity out of their stupor. A man came rushing in, someone of great importance to Roxas. It took him seconds to register their identity, but when he did he was left speechless.

Heaving and sucking in deep breaths, the man looked toward Roxas. There was desperation evident in his eyes; the crimson orbs glinted with something the boy failed to comprehend.

Roxas was twitching all over; disappointed this one person arrived at such an unexpected time of the day.

"It's you."

* * *

"Poor Roxas, hope he won't bedridden for too long!" Sakuya chewed her lip with worry, shifting to third gear in her car while turning the wheel. Olette remained quiet for a while, and then reached over to turn down the radio she hadn't listened to the entire car ride.

"Yeah, but he's strong. He'll pull through like before."

"Naminé too, right, Olette?"

"…Sure." The girl responded, waving the matter away like an annoying gnat. She leaned her chin in the palm of her hand and rolled down the window. She just needed to breathe, that was all.

Everything was rushing at her all in one package and it was getting to the point where it would overload her system if she stayed in that room any longer.

Sakuya sighed at Olette's aloof behavior, slowing the car down at a red light. She asked if her friend was okay but received no answer. Olette's mind really had drifted away and it didn't surprise Sakuya one bit as to why.

"So, will you do it soon? If you don't—"

"I know Saku. Just, don't worry about me, worry for Roxas and Naminé. They're the ones in need of help right now."

The girl nodded and threaded her fingers through wavy sea foam locks. They had arrived at a fast food place, poised to order late night dinner for themselves and the gang waiting at the hospital.

When the two returned with bags of Chinese takeout and hamburgers, everyone was relieved to smell that intoxicating aroma of food. Roxas' stomach growled and he laughed in a rueful manner, scratching the back of his head from embarrassment.

The man who was sitting at the stool perked up from the scent of entrees and thanked Olette and Sakuya for bringing it. He was Chrono Awayuki. Roxas' **father**.

--

"I see, well at least you two are both okay. When I got the news, it wasn't on the day it had happened; I got it today while at work. I'm sorry I didn't come sooner." Chrono started, bowing his head apologetically.

Roxas smiled at how noble his father always acted, perhaps that was one thing he inherited from him. The two conversed further to fill in on details with one another. It was enlightening and created a big enough rift to stay away from the sadness emerging from the surface of everyone's hearts.

"Dad…I just, I don't know what to do anymore. Did I go too far? Was I too obvious on what I wanted? I want—"

"Whoa, easy there my son. One question at a time and I'll answer them as best I can. Okay?"

Everyone else was outside the hospital room, still eating and talking amongst each other. Some had gone to the bathroom while a couple sat near the window to watch the overcast sky cover up what remained of the blues far above.

"Riku, didn't you notice…that no one has visited Nam except for us and Mr. Awayuki?" Trinity asked her boyfriend, leaning against him in his embrace. The silver-haired boy cracked an eyelid open; he was exhausted, but couldn't sleep from the stress.

"Meh…maybe that jerk Takamura is trying to avoid the Press. They're on him twenty-four seven. If he doesn't visit Naminé then it proves how much of a scumbag he is." he closed the lid again and took in a deep breath.

Trinity fisted Riku's shirt without thinking and saw Olette looking out the window by herself. Hayner was due at work any minute now, so she assumed the brunette was just lonely without him by her side.

Her eyes were transfixed on a small circular crystal that Olette held in her grasp.

The girl held the shining object in her palm, admiring the bright canary shade that reflected off the concealed sun. Its rays leaked through the gray clouds and when she held it against the light, it glinted proudly. She felt a sudden nostalgic moment, a tear erupting from the corner of her emerald eyes.

She choked on her grief, but persisted to hold that orb against the window until the sun was no more. _"Why did it have to be like this?"_ Olette pondered, blinking away the tears that continued to fall down her cheeks and stained her jeans.

It was the first time everyone could just feel burden after burden weigh him or her down. They ate and sympathized with one another deep into the night and early morning after. Would everything go back to normal after this has passed? _Could_ it? No one knew a definite answer anymore…

--

It was late, and everyone bid their farewells to Roxas and a sleeping Naminé. Riku and Trinity were the first two to make toward the exit. Roxas brought a hand up to wave goodbye, but his best friend spoke.

"Dude, be careful alright? Sometimes going too far to get what you want really _is_ crossing the line. Get what I mean?" he readjusted his grip around a sleeping Trinity with his arms holding the back of her knees and shoulder blades. Hayner held the door open for Riku to walk through without disturbing Trinity's sleeping body.

Sora patted Roxas' shoulder and gave him a sad smile. He had something to add to Riku's statement, but decided against it. Kairi reflected Sora's smile, hugged her friend as best she could and told him to take care of himself.

Chrono shook his son's hand and gently brought him in an embrace so he could whisper in his ear. _"My son…whoever this girl is, I hope that she can be happy. Don't let this get you down like it did to me. I never want to see you end up like I did when I was a young adult. If you really love her…decide what's best for the both of you."_

The world had disappeared after Chrono left. What surprised Roxas the most was who remained with him an hour before he asked to be left alone: Olette. Neither decided to speak, and were allowed to contemplate within their own thoughts.

She looked toward Roxas, her evergreen irises shined in the dim room. All the lights were out and the moon was the only witness between herself and Roxas.

He kept his gaze to the curtain that separated himself and Naminé, still thinking of something to say to her despite her unconscious state.

"Hey," Olette started, fiddling with the hem of her black Volcom jacket. She kept her head bowed, trying to continue without leaving them in silence for too long. "I just…want to tell you, that I hope you recover from this. Naminé too, both of you have really caused a ruckus. Be…careful…okay?"

Roxas turned to his friend; a blank expression swept his pale face.

Releasing a sigh, Olette stood from her seated location and laid her hand on Roxas' again. He blinked excessively toward her, unbeknownst of her sudden intentions. The girl looked hesitant, a stickler for words. So she went with the next best thing.

Olette bent toward Roxas and kissed him in the center of his forehead. She handled his reaction with care and closed her eyes so she wouldn't be tempted to see. Her lips lingered above his flesh; unable to pull away from the emotional moment she was sharing with Roxas.

"I'll…be okay Olette. Don't…worry."

Those words were more than enough to satisfy his friend. She opened her eyes, tears fresh on her swollen and rosy cheeks. Nodding, Olette turned on her heel and exited without a second look. He may have struggled to say such a speech, but they spoke to her and rung through her head like a life changing revelation.

* * *

The door clicked softly shut, and Roxas took this time to drift back to his incomplete thoughts. After almost dying and coming back to reality in a nearby hospital, he wondered just what had happened during those times he was still asleep.

From what he was informed, he had been in a perpetual state of unconsciousness for almost two weeks. In his medical report, he incurred several different injuries all over his body. Sure, he could handle the usual dose of Nobodies from time to time, but these were more pronounced and delicate to the touch.

He had cuts around his neck and face while there were also some around his tender scalp. Five broken and cracked ribs, a fractured wrist and a numb spinal chord. Bandages covered him almost everywhere, especially around his mid-section, head and legs.

His hips did have minor injuries; there were indigo bruises from the abuse of Hiro's stupid bodyguards. Lacerations of every kind tattooed what remained of his anatomy, save for his genital area. Thank _**goodness**_ for that.

Roxas felt as if he were defaced and all of a sudden put back together like a jigsaw puzzle. No wonder why he had been asleep for so long! The trauma was terrifying, and almost cost his life, but not as much as Naminé's.

Something spoke to him in his mind, and Roxas took immediate action. He reached for his cell phone that was perched on the edge of his mahogany nightstand. A few button pushes here and there, and a text message had been sent out.

A reply beeped on the screen and he typed back. It prolonged for a few more minutes until Roxas sent out the last text and clicked his phone shut.

Dr. Shinichiro was still on her rounds, and just checked in to check his vital signs and other medical needs before leaving again. So she wasn't due back anymore.

At that, Roxas pushed back his sheets and stepped out of bed. He pulled out the IV that was taped and strapped to his arm; his reception to the slight stinging pain was nonchalant. His bare feet were still fragile against the chilly and biting tile, but he paid no heed.

Roxas' hands began to feel clammy again, poised in anticipation for what awaited him beyond that door. Before leaving, he took a look at Naminé's form, her chest rising and falling in easy rhythms. He wanted to smile and marvel at how she survived with those injuries, but didn't have the heart to do as such.

He took one of her bandaged hands, newly stained with crimson blood and damp in one of his larger ones. Roxas held her, afraid of breaking her if he became clumsy. He would have changed her bandages again that day, but felt too distracted to even consider such an action. The young man gulped hard, saliva and air were pushed down his esophagus vigorously.

"Nam, when you wake up…I hope I can properly tell you…that I…" He just couldn't finish his hazy thought; it was too painful to admit. Seeing her in this vulnerable state, seeing _this_, just reminded him of how it was his fault she was like this.

Roxas' heart poured his love for her, and bled from the unhealed wounds he created from the beginning. One glistening tear fell from the corner of his eye. He was so ashamed, so…**dirty** to be around her. This guilt, this grief, this…consumed him inside.

"…That I…I…"

He was choking on his words now, shoulders shaking uncontrollably. It was too much! He asked for too much from her.

Roxas wanted _so_ much to caress her cheek and feel her soft skin brush against his like before. But he ruined the chance to be with her by persisting while she was in a relationship.

_Could Olette be right all along?_

_Was she?_

His mind didn't know. No possible answer spawned during those precious moments alone with her. He wanted to stay longer, so she would awaken to him first. It wasn't meant to be, it **never** was.

_"Just don't hurt Roxas…I only love you Hiro."_

Maybe just this once, he would cheat fate. Maybe there was another way to avoid destruction for both of them. Time would only tell as his father always told him.

Roxas swallowed a breath once more, and leaned in toward Naminé. His lips brushed hers...they were still flush and perfect; just like when he first touched them at the beach. Heartbreaking memories flooded through _her_ lips and onto _his_.

_**What a beautiful sight.**_

* * *

_"Where are we going?"_

"_I'm SO full!"_

"_I hope you can still be happy…even when it's not with me."_

"_You said yes to his proposal didn't you?"_

"_Roxas, why must it be so painful to be around you?"_

"_I love you."_

"_I love you so much."_

"_I love you…but I can't…"_

_"I knew. I always did."_

He pulled away after kissing her, his lips filled with a tingling sensation. For a few long seconds, Roxas felt alive despite being dead inside. He wanted to kiss her again and relive those moments with Naminé, but he had to leave. This was the hardest thing he's ever had to do.

**He told himself to walk out of her life and move on.**

Roxas lifted his right hand, the palm rough and battered on the surface. A florescent lime glow emanated from his injured hand. The aura grew stronger and larger in proportion. Tiny pixies and flecks of dust danced around the energy. He directed it toward Naminé's bandaged forehead for a long time.

The twenty-year-old concentrated all his energy into his damaged hand until the ritual was complete. His hand impeded, the glow disintegrating and transforming back to normal.

His feet directed him to the door with long strokes. Roxas' body seemed to act on its own, and his hand reached for the knob, but not without looking back at Naminé's peaceful state. A small smile graced his tired features; this was his final chance to stay and be with her—but his heart told him otherwise.

"Thank you…I'm sorry…and goodbye." Roxas had another thought to declare, but shook his head out of defiance. The pain in his heart and soul would subside someday, Roxas hoped for the best.

The keyblade master was out of sight; the solitary remnants of his presence were a letter on Naminé's bedside table and a kiss he had stolen. It was more than enough to leave a deep groove in her permanently carved heart.

--

The cold, crisp air blew past the young blond, welcoming him to the outside after imprisonment for so long. It spelled out a message to him, "This evening is the beginning of new beginnings."

_If only he was happy about it…_

"You sure you want to do this?" Riku asked, leaning against the frame of his car. Trinity was by his side, tracing circles on the surface of his Windbreaker.

"Yes."

"Okay…"

Riku and Trinity stared at each other, the girl nodded sadly as the two exchanged glances. They whispered a few more times before cutting the conversation off abruptly. Roxas didn't care about what information they were discussing. He was tired, **tired** and ready to move on.

It was time. _Time_…to take a new path.

He treaded toward a fork in the road, now he had to choose. The paths to light and dark weren't choices in the matter, so Roxas followed his heart. It reminded him very much of Riku's, and that was fine with him.

The path to 'Twilight' was a fitting choice.

It would be a difficult journey to recover, but that was something Roxas was willing to do. It was just one more risk he added to the list.

The car door slammed and Riku sped off. The tires screeched in a rebellious manner, and the Mercedes disappeared around the corner.

The stars littered the skies like twinkling entities, and Roxas stared at them without emotion. Something created a shape, a picture, a face. A face of someone he would never forget—but instead forever love regardless of the pain inside.

Naminé's serene smile and golden tresses came into view. They shined from above, and Roxas drifted to sleep in the back seat of the car. He hadn't dreamed in a while, and this was the first time in so long.

Maybe…dreaming for once could be a good change. After all, Roxas now started with a clean slate, a new leaf. He was to become a new person, one with pain that had subsided within his heart. No matter what he would never forget the time spent with Naminé.

To sacrifice something dear to him would mean gaining something else in exchange. A second chance to redeem himself.

Dreaming is that first step on the other side. It led to freedom from the burdens of everyday living—and possibly more. So who was he to deny something he just may deserve after all this time? Certainly nothing more than to just embrace it.

_Take me under your wing tonight._

* * *

A word from the author…

I will inform you: that it literally took me a long time to put together these ideas. Hope you guys liked this chapter and thanks again for your support. Just so you know, this chapter is a whopping twenty pages!

By the way, if no one noticed, I used songs lyrics in some of my previous chapters. In fact, this time around, I have also used song lyrics in this chapter—and probably will in future installments. If you can identify the song(s) I used, then I'll write a drabble for you. Further details will be explained to the winner. Hope you find 'em!


	10. And Then There Were Two

Chapter ten!! Yay, I've never gotten this far before on a series. So I'm very surprised and very happy. Thanks for the reviews, critique and support. You guys rock.

**On a more awesome note, it's a little past the one year anniversary of this wonderful fic!! I'm satisfied and ecstatic because this story has grown so much since the first time I wrote the beginning. Thanks again!**

Princess Io

* * *

**Ten: And Then There Were Two**

"Sweetheart?"

"Naminé?"

"Please…wake up."

"Five more minutes, c'mon! I'm tired…" Naminé muffled against the pillows. She cuddled up to them, admiring their softness and fluffy exterior. A hand continued to shake her shoulder, persisting as always.

"I'm serious dear, you need to get up or you'll be late for the luncheon with my mother after your Psychology lecture. I have to go to work today and your car is still in the shop. Come now, wake up!" Hiro argued, huffing with frustration.

Naminé shook her head out of defiance, resisting the urge to sit up and leave the warmth of her comforter.

The two struggled and bickered in a continuous manner. A knock interrupted their loud banter, a voice on the opposite side of the oak door getting their attention.

_"Master Hiro, your suitcase and belongings are packed in the car. Breakfast is on the table too."_

"Alright, I'm coming down. Thank you." Hiro said, taking a moment to scheme a plan to convince his fiancée out of bed. After an idea passed his mind, he took action. The dark-haired man began to tickle Naminé, forcing her to roll and tangle herself within the sheets and ultimately fall off the bed.

Naminé sat up and pouted from being disturbed. It had been three months since she was released from Water Lily Hospital, and the twenty-year-old felt refreshed and brand new when she awakened.

Hiro was by her side when she awoke the first day of June. It was the start of her summer studies, and Naminé couldn't be any more for what was in store for her. Her fiancé bid her farewell as he went to work, kissing her on her forehead.

Everything seemed to have gone back to normal, and since she had been bedridden in the hospital for so long, it left the blond curious. As much as she was happy to be released and able to walk on her own two feet again, there was still something bothering her.

She wasn't allowed to see her own medical report, let alone know what had happened before and after she arrived at the hospital. Hiro's parents arrived a few days before she would was discharged, and generously paid for her hospital bill since her own parents were still overseas.

--

"_Strange…"_ Naminé thought, typing out notes on her Apple laptop during her Psychology lecture. The subject didn't fascinate her and instead she would only listen when it involved a term paper or another assignment of some sorts.

Class ended, and with a sigh of relief, Naminé was out the door. Today was very busy regardless of the overcast weather, which gave the population all the more reason to move at a quick pace.

A wind blew past Naminé and she fought against the angered breeze. The Takamura limo had come to the side of the curb, and Duo, her driver greeted Naminé with a smile.

"Good afternoon Miss Hoshi," he started, opening the backseat door for her. "Master Hiro isn't at the estate right now, but he instructed that I—"

"I know Duo. To take me back to the house and stay put until he returns. It's…the same everyday." The young woman replied to herself, too quiet for her driver to listen to her comment.

Naminé's schedule for every day was as boring as ever. As soon as she was allowed to go home, Hiro took immediate action. He now monitored her every move, from what time she sleeps to when she goes to school or work.

For the first couple weeks, Naminé wasn't bothered at all and just considered it a way that he loves her. She calmly took his overprotective behavior as a sign of how much he cares for her. Yumekii and Ueno were now her personal bodyguards, always easy to access whenever she needed them.

Naminé was thankful for that since news reporters and column writers approached her every second of every day. Her guards would clear a path for her and she would be able to go home safely without anyone following her.

However, since she was under constant surveillance, Naminé was rarely allowed to go out on her own. If she wanted to, Hiro would have to be with her. It was annoying now, because she was always being watched and would barely be allowed to breathe on her own.

The tendencies were suffocating her, but she didn't say anything about the issue. Hiro would just come up with the same excuse he did the first time she asked. _"This is for your own protection. I don't want to lose you like I almost did with that incident. It was too painful to see you in the hospital, unconscious…so please, just listen to me and you won't get hurt again."_

_What bullshit_. Naminé was more than capable to look after herself. But knowing Hiro, he would not listen to her reasoning and just shut her out like before because he's "too busy" to deal with her at the moment.

At least Naminé was free to go visit Hiro's parents without Yumekii and Ueno nipping at her heels. They had their own personal security, so she would be "safe" under their watch as well. Naminé prepared to get dressed when one of Hiro's maids quietly knocked on the door.

"Miss Hoshi? I have a message for you from Master Hiro. I also have a package from Lady Yukiru. Would you like them—"?

"Yes I would! I'm coming to the door." Naminé interjected, curious to know what the message was.

Opening the double doors, Naminé was greeted by a young maid about her age, holding a neatly folded envelope, a slip of parchment paper and a large unmarked box. The object weighed next to nothing, and Naminé was all the more curious to see the contents.

The maid bowed with respect before excusing her to continue her daily chores down the hall. Naminé closed the doors again and placed the belongings on her comforter. She walked back to her full-length mirror and readjusted a studded earring she was initially putting on until she was interrupted.

Curiosity had the best of her, and Naminé disregarded her other studded earring. She picked up the folded message from her fiancé. It bared the famous Takamura seal, something she could easily recognize since she received them on a daily basis.

Naminé skimmed through the message, until her eyes came to a gradual slow when they read over small phrases. They stuck in her mind and warned her of heartache. He wasn't going to be home. **Again.**

--

_My shining Star,_

_It is with deepest regret that I am unable to accompany you tonight. I have further business at the office branch and will have to be present for the remainder of the month. I am taking a plane to Traverse Town in a few minutes. I apologize again, but do not worry okay? I promise to make it up to you when I return in July. This also means that our wedding day will be postponed into either mid-July or early August. Take care of yourself. I love you._

_Hiro_

--

His surprise business trips weren't much of an eye opener for Naminé anymore. She had also grown used to his absences, but she didn't let it bring her down. It gave her all the more reason to go out without him knowing to see the world, see what she had missed for an entire month being cooped inside the Water Lily Hospital.

Naminé carelessly tossed the letter on her nightstand, and began to unwrap the gift sent to her from Hiro's mother. It wasn't any special occasion that she knew of, so…what was it this time around?

The young woman examined the tissue paper in a meticulous manner, but not long before peeling it back to see the concealed items.

It was yet another tailored sundress from an expensive tailor. Naminé's expression of levity had instantly been uplifted with elation, to think that Yukiru went through all the trouble to get her a brand new sundress just for the luncheon!

"_I'll thank her when I see her."_ she thought with satisfaction, nodding to herself.

* * *

"I'm glad that you like the dress, Naminé." Yukiru clapped with emphasis. She sipped her herbal tea, admiring the fresh taste as it drained down her parched throat.

Naminé smiled and traced her finger along one of the many hems. It was certainly very _beautiful_; she wouldn't deny it the compliment it deserved. But thoughts still pricked her mind, awaiting release.

"I adore the dress Mrs. Takamura. But…I have a question."

"What would that be?"

"Are…Hiro's business trips always this frequent in the summer?"

Such a question took Yukiru off guard, and she was forced to think of a suitable answer. She was indecisive as to whether or not she would completely explain, and then thought of something within reason.

"Well, since my son is the heir and my husband is retiring soon, he must make sure the transfer is smooth. The employees from other branches have to know their new CEO, so that's why he has frequent trips across the globe. I'm sorry if that bothers you dear."

Naminé shook her head, tousling her locks to and fro. "Oh no, it's alright. I just…miss him sometimes. Sounds silly, but…I don't want to be alone and end up in the hospital again." Worry flooded Naminé's mind, and she wondered if her concern for her fiancé was overly dramatic.

A waiter approached the couple and presented them with their meals. Before Yukiru could respond to Naminé's answer, she flipped open her beeping cell phone.

"_Still as busy as ever…I feel I might be wasting her time with my petty concerns."_ Naminé thought with intent, staring with distaste toward her lunch. Yukiru continued talking into the receiver of her phone as she cut into the steak she had ordered, leaving Naminé to her thoughts.

--

As the afternoon had come to a sudden close, Yukiru glanced at her wristwatch out of habit. "How unfortunate…I'm due for a plane in a couple hours. I'm sorry Naminé, I didn't get the opportunity—"

"No no, it's okay Mrs. Takamura. I'll just catch a cab or something to go back to the estate." Naminé interrupted, placing her napkin on the tabletop. She felt bad for cutting in on the conversation Yukiru was attempting to start, but she felt more distracted than anything else to even care at the moment.

Yukiru shook her head, motioning one of her bodyguards over. A young woman in a tuxedo and a pair of sunglasses bowed to her. Lady Takamura whispered something to the woman in the shades, and she nodded twice, confirming she understood.

"I'll have Robin drive you home, taking a cab is out of the ordinary. Don't worry about Yumekii and Ueno, I already contacted them and they're going to escort you home as well."

There was no room for an argument—especially not with a woman with as much prestige, class, and power like Yukiru Takamura. Naminé sighed, slumping in her seat in an un-ladylike fashion.

"Alright."

"Good, Robin. Please escort Naminé to our estate. Then report to the airport as soon as she is safely inside the house."

"As you wish, Lady Takamura."

The luncheon had come to a close, and the evening began with Naminé getting driven back to a lonely home with no one to wait for her except the maids. Wonderful.

* * *

Naminé sighed heavily as she tossed her new cell phone from one hand to another. They exchanged the small device until it began vibrating and played a ringtone. Knocked out of her stupor, Naminé attempted catching her phone in mid-air, but it slipped out of her clumsy hands and clanked on the polished tile.

She hadn't expected it to skid across the floor, coming to an abrupt stop when it bumped against Yumekii's black dress shoes. Naminé bit her lip, avoiding contact with her bodyguard when she reached toward her ringing phone.

His hand had gotten there first and she still sat on the floor, defeated. The next thing she knew he would do is checking the number and make sure it was a safe incoming call. If it wasn't…

"Miss Hoshi."

Looking upward, Naminé received her phone back. Much to her dismay, she had missed the call. There was no voice message, just a number and a text. Naminé mumbled a quick 'thank you' before standing up on her own two feet and walking toward the foyer to grab some privacy.

"One text…no number attached."

Clicking a few selections on the touch screen, the text she had missed popped up. Naminé raised her eyebrows when she realized whom the text she received was from.

_Hey beautiful, just checking up on you. I'm in New York right now, but I miss you more than ever. By the way…how has Karin been? Hopefully she's not causing too much trouble for you. _

_-H_

How relieving, Hiro had safely boarded his plane and landed in New York. That's half way across the globe compared to Twilight Town! He was so far away, and yet so close because of that text. Naminé smiled, admiring the phrase "I miss you more than ever."

Even when he was away all the time now, he still had time to tell her he cared about her.

_How sweet of you to check on me. Shouldn't you be in a meeting right now? I miss you too…a LOT. Scratch that, more than you'll ever know because you're not here. Karin is fine, it still surprises me that she's your little sister…that girl is full of energy! If she was causing too much trouble for me then I'd be dead by now._

_-N_

Naminé chuckled at the clever remark she had typed before pressing the "send" button. The young woman made her way to her bedroom, closing the door and plopping on her fresh and clean bed.

_You know it, and you love it. Yeah…but these meetings bore me sometimes. Besides, who wouldn't want to talk to their fiancée at this time of day? You're worth it hun. I do know how much you miss me, I hear it all the time when you say goodbye at the doorstep. That's Karin for you, full of spunk and always running around like no one's business. How did the luncheon go with my mother? Was father there or absent as usual?_

_-H_

_Hah, maybe I do. Well, you need to pay attention in those meetings that bore you. Otherwise you won't be a very good CEO in the near future. The luncheon went just fine, Mrs. Takamura sent me a beautiful sundress to wear! Mr. Takamura wasn't there unfortunately; he just sent his regards and apologies._

_-N_

_I see. Yeah…you're right hun. Oh really? What kind of sundress? I bet it looked exquisite on you, like anything else you wear. Father is always like that; it doesn't surprise me that he's gone off somewhere. He's probably preparing for his retirement and what not._

_-H_

_A white sundress with frills and ribbons alike. I'll send you a picture. I hope to get another chance to see Mr. Takamura, the last time…_

_-N_

_Yes, I remember, at the Crystal Eidolon. Hunny…I have something I'd like to ask you._

_-H_

Prior to Naminé's response, her phone began to vibrate again. It rang another ringtone, and this time she was able to pick it up. "Hiro—"

_"I…want to consummate our relationship."_ His voice sounded sure, firm and brave.

"What?"

_"I want to consummate our relationship."_ Hiro repeated, with more eagerness this time. Naminé could hear the winds from where Hiro was standing, now knowing that he was outside. She was unsure of what he could possibly mean by "consummating" their relationship.

An idea struck her mind in that instant.

"You want us to marry today? But that's not possible!"

His voice was silent on the other line. At first Naminé had thought she lost connection or service. She checked her phone and the signal bars stood tall and proud on her bright screen. Why was he silent?

_"…Not exactly sweetie. More like…"_ Hiro sighed, it was evident he was getting frustrated; unable to spell out the message he was trying to tell his fiancée. He was quiet on the opposite line, contemplating his next thought.

Naminé sat up on her bed, poised in anticipation. What was he really talking about? She wanted to know.

And yet, at the same time, she felt afraid…

"Hiro?"

_Click._

A knock came to the door. _"Miss Hoshi?"_ It sounded like Ueno; Naminé could recognize his deep accented voice anywhere.

"Yes?" She asked, the tone of her voice apathetic. Hiro was about to ask her something very important, and instead he hangs up and she gets interrupted **again** that night. Tonight just wasn't her night of peace and quiet.

What could possibly make this evening any worse?

* * *

"Um…where are we going?"

Duo watched Naminé's uneasiness sink in, and he smiled. "To the main estate Miss Hoshi. Master Hiro requested you live there for a while until his return."

Naminé nodded and turned her attention toward the window. The skies were beginning to change and clouds covered the stars she admired. A frown graced her features; rain was upon them. The depressing weather just added another notch in Naminé's distracted mind.

So many things have happened since her release from the hospital. A question that she had come across would never leave her conscious, and she was confident to receive an answer in any way she possibly could. But…knowing Hiro, the experience may have been painful for him to endure. What would she do?

The woman sighed heavily, pondering upon the events of bidding her fiancé goodbye. As she gazed into the mirror, something else caught her immediate attention.

Her hair, once golden and emitting light…appeared flat and indifferent. She creased her eyebrows and shook her head in defiance. Surely it was just the light–since it was raining there was no sun for her hair to reflect and shine from. **But**…

She blinked in disbelief; were those things her eyes? Each pupil was dull, exposed, and above all, deprived of light like her hair. It's as if she looked possessed by an unknown force, unable to control her own body.

There was something eerie…something strange and indifferent. Yet Naminé hadn't noticed until she peered at her own reflection.

This same image wasn't what it displayed before she left for the luncheon with Mrs. Takamura. So why did she look like this now?

Something strange had flashed on the mirror when Naminé continued to gaze toward it. A **face**…a face that wasn't her own appeared before her.

It had eyes just like hers; bereft of sparkle and blank like the living dead. Their expression held no type of emotion save for the crimson colored tears that streamed down their cheeks.

_"Who…is that?" _she asked herself, mouthing the words that refused to produce sound from her restricted voice box.

_I'm sorry…_

Snapping her head in another direction of the limousine, Naminé thought she had heard a voice. Something was calling out to her, but she didn't know who or what—even **why**.

The car had come to an abrupt stop, jerking Naminé out of her stupefied state. The door to her right had been opened by Duo. He held out a black umbrella above Naminé's head to prevent her getting soaked by the blistering rain.

It still felt so strange, for her to suddenly be removed from Hiro's estate and transferred to the main Takamura house. This residence was where both Mamoru and Yukiru lived, aside from all their other vacation homes across the globe.

The location rivaled that of a kingdom! Naminé felt uneasy while walking alongside with Duo. "Miss Hoshi, I sense you are nervous about your staying in the Takamura estate."

She looked to him and sighed, placing a hand on her chest. "Yes, a little. It's just…so big."

Duo chuckled and smiled with assurance, "Do not worry about it. You'll be used to it until Master Hiro returns."

Naminé nodded silently and clenched her fist.

--

"Welcome, Miss Hoshi." A ring of voices said professionally, surprising the young woman.

Naminé was awed, never in her life had she seen so many maids and butlers in one particular place! They were all in two rows that faced each other along the distance of the main foyer. Their individual uniforms were pressed and cleaned to perfection, the contrasting white and black colors captivated Naminé's attention.

This establishment, this…was all so overwhelming.

Before she had the chance to breathe in the new air that swam around her, two maids approached her. One introduced herself as Cara, while the other was known as Delilah. Their names were quickly forgotten as they lead Naminé to her quarters, as ordered by Master and Lady Takamura.

Up a large spiraling staircase and down various halls that were bustling with maids and butlers, Naminé and her two 'caretakers' had stopped in front of a pair of mahogany doors. The gold doorknobs shined, and practically blinded Naminé.

The maids opened the doors simultaneously and motioned for the young college student to enter the room. She looked to them with uncertainty—but they only smiled and coaxed her inside. Naminé complied, and Cara and Delilah closed the doors behind them. The soft clicking sound had been swallowed up by conversation and gentle footsteps.

Naminé's new bedroom simply took her breath away. There were just too many words she could use to describe the uniqueness and majesty of the proximity! Cara had called for Naminé in another room that extended the one she was standing in. The girl failed to respond, and was given time to her thoughts.

* * *

A word from the author…

Awesomeness! Another chapter knocked out of the way. I'm quite satisfied with this one, and yet…it left me brainless. Okay, well going to go write chapter eleven. Don't forget to vote in my poll on my profile if you already haven't. Thanks again!


	11. Slow Bleed

I apologize for not uploading anything…I've been really stressed and chained to school. Plus, I've been working my butt off as well as keeping up in my AP (Advanced Placement) classes. So I'm sorry for leaving this in the dust for so long. For those that read my story _Tears To Roses_, don't worry, I'll update that one soon too.

Thanks for your support and reviews.

Princess Io

* * *

**Eleven: Slow Bleed**

The year moved at a quickened rate into mid-June, the beginning of summer studies. Roxas always showed little to no interest toward any type of education, but found it to be a worthy distraction from the previous events. He had finally discharged himself from the Water Lily Hospital, and escaping from that _hell hole_ was probably the best thing he could have ever done. In spite of living with Riku and Trinity, nothing could be more or less right.

"Thank goodness…" Roxas murmured to himself, half-lidded eyes staring at the rim of his cup of coffee. The silence didn't last too long, quickly interrupted by the loud banging of the air conditioner unit. For some reason, it had been acting up again, but this time Roxas had enough of its clamoring noise.

After inputting a few button combinations, the AC was quiet again. Roxas could care less about the electronic annoyance, but the deafening sound was unbearable today. He sighed and looked at the open scar on his forearm. He remembered somewhere in his medical report that his arm was cut open and had a deep gauge that needed immediate attention every three or four hours of the day. Blood began to create a thin trail along his arm and dripped in a careless manner on the tiled floor of Roxas' kitchen.

'_Shit. Friggin' doctor didn't sew it up like she was supposed to._' Roxas creased his eyebrows together, his mind – his being, rather, loathed that woman. She was supposed to take care of him, and instead was trying to get him to have sex with her – well, in his opinion it was to that degree. He considered it as such, while others would just call it flirtingly seductive tactics. Oh brother.

Roxas examined the wound on his arm as if it were a new specimen, and walked up the hall toward his bedroom to redress it. Each step he took created no sound when he dragged his feet toward his room. A stray thought invaded his mind; he wondered if the apartment was too quiet for his liking. Even if he wasn't a typical resident, still…

--

Roxas disregarded the pain in his arm. His response was nonchalant, despite how rough he was handling the situation. He held the medical string in between his teeth while weaving it through his sensitive skin. The large cut still continued to bleed, but not as much as earlier.

There was a quiet knock on the door. They knocked again and he still paid it no heed. The oak door had been opened with an inside motion, minutes later a pair of feet came into view.

"Roxas?"

The blond resisted giving the familiar owner of the voice recognition he heard them. His back faced the owner of the voice, and he'd prefer to stay that way. A hand touched his naked shoulder; Roxas didn't flinch from the contact. "Roxas—oh my god! You shouldn't be stitching that without help!" Oceanic pupils stared at the worried indigo of Kairi's. His cold demeanor was a stab to her soul, tearing her to shreds. His power over her was unnerving, causing the girl to shift uncomfortably. But it didn't deter her mission to offer him help he didn't want in the first place.

The two couldn't break the thin line that connected their eyes together. Kairi had never felt such fear that clawed away at her mind. Her spine was shivering; her hands sweat in anticipation. She wanted to swallow the breath she had been holding, but the look Roxas gave her…

"I can do this myself." he said quietly, it sounded more like a demand than an act of difference. A few more drops of scarlet stained his carpet as the seconds passed by.

Kairi intervened, "Roxas, I'm serious—"

"No."

"But I—"

"_**No.**_"

"Please, you should let m—" she protested, grasping Roxas' forearm. Crimson refusal seeped profusely, forcing her eyes to widen from shock. Any type of bleeding always made Kairi feel queasy, but she ignored the churning of her stomach. Her toes curled and she wanted to close her eyes to block out the sensation of the slimy consistency.

Roxas didn't waste a breath as he pried her hand from his arm. He did so without much effort, but also didn't hold back his inhuman strength. He didn't notice her grip had fallen away from his arm, grasping the medical string that dangled nearby. Kairi's wrist was trapped in his unyielding grip, and as much as she wanted to take her limb back, he did not permit her. Their eyes locked again, "I said **no**." Ice crushed Kairi's fragile heart, just as his hand began cutting off circulation in the nerves of her appendage.

The medical string the red-haired girl held onto gave way from her pulling. An audible snap sounded in the room. Roxas glared at his open wound before shoving Kairi away. She rubbed her sore wrist, a large indigo bruise surfaced on her fair skin.

'_Shit. Great job, idiot.'_

Roxas exhaled and stood to walk into the bathroom. Kairi averted her gaze, for fear of Roxas' temper taking advantage of him again. His hand ruffled some of the locks atop her head; a hushed _I'm sorry_ was said and he disappeared behind the door leading to his bathroom. Kairi followed him, her injury suddenly the least of her worries.

* * *

Roxas struggled with starting a conversation while running his good hand through his messy hair. Stress was taking a serious toll on his mind and body. The hospital incident happened weeks ago, but it still felt like yesterday.

Kairi's continued tending to Roxas' wound as she waited patiently for him to speak his mind. She wrapped it with fresh white bandages, careful so as to not open it for the third time that day. She had finished sewing what Roxas started before cleaning his bloody arm. Her wrist was numb, but it didn't matter.

"Did I do that to you?"

"Do what?"

"_That._" Roxas traced his opposite finger over the smooth surface of Kairi's skin. She watched the pad of his finger drift across the bruise, moving in a languid manner. She sighed, and nodded. He was mortified. To think he'd resort to such violent behavior under trivial circumstances. "I didn't mean…" he sighed.

"How did you get in?" He decided to change the subject. Kairi looked up after tying a knot over the injury.

"Found the key under the old flower pot, the one Riku and Trinity haven't thrown out yet. At least, according to—"

"Sora." They both declared simultaneously, smiling a little over how they both thought of the same person. Conversation ceased again, much to the discomfort of both adults. Roxas shifted in his seated position, attempting to distract himself while she set aside the medical supplies.

When Kairi had finished, she noticed marks on Roxas' back. His skin was harmed with brutal intent, and she assumed he put up resistance to the abuse. Some of them were long, jagged scratches, while others were darkened bruises and cuts that were caked with hardened blood. They were still sensitive as she gently rubbed the sore spots, and she couldn't help but lean her head between his shoulder blades. The pulse of his heart reached out to her, yearning for comfort despite him offering nary a word.

Roxas bit his lip before talking over his shoulder. "Kairi…it's okay. I'll take care of those later, but I need to get you some ice for your wrist." She shook her head, eyes closed and fighting the tears flooding her ducts.

"He did this, didn't he?" Her question was barely above a whisper, but Roxas knew what she had asked since she treated it as a rhetorical one. He sighed, wanting anything to give her a different answer. The one who granted him this atrocity of a punishment was one to not be trifled with. He knew better, having almost greeted death minutes before he was rescued by paramedics.

Roxas hung his head low and sighed again. He braced his frame from the edge of the bathtub and stood, keeping his back to her a little longer. He mustered enough strength to face her, a solemn expression glossing over the pain from before. He grasped her hands and kept them confined to his, as if asking she look at him. Her hair concealed her face, but Roxas brushed them away. Tears marred her features and it broke his heart seeing her like this; it reminded him too much of how he made…**Naminé **cry. Just thinking about her worsened his mood.

He gave Kairi a lop-sided smile, "C'mon. How about that ice?"

Kairi threw herself against Roxas, wrapping her hands around his neck to prevent him from escaping – if he so chose. She was hugging him, and he was too surprised to notice until minutes later. Though hesitant, Roxas placed his hands on Kairi's back, returning the firm embrace.

--

"I came here to make sure you were okay, and to drop off a note from Sora." Kairi sat at the edge of Roxas' kitchen counter, rocking her feet like a young child. Roxas grabbed an ice pack from his freezer and handed the cold item to her.

The sun was beginning to set, and Kairi had been here for hours since her visit earlier. Apparently, it was her day off from work, what better thing to do than spend the day with one of your closest friends?

A knock caught Roxas' attention, and he set down his Aquafina water bottle. When he opened the door, someone tackled him to the floor. "Hey Rox! Feeling better?" The voice was cheerful, one that always made Kairi smile.

"I would be…if you'd get the hell off me, Sora." Roxas cringed from his back injuries, patting Sora on the shoulder with affection. Despite his physical and mental pain, seeing his friends come pouring into the apartment seemed to lift all the weight off of Roxas. Even if it was for a few moments.

"Geez, Sora. Roxas won't be able to heal if you keep clobbering him to death…" Riku shook his head, it was evident he didn't display any surprise to Sora's predictability. He smiled toward Kairi, who waved back before jumping off the counter. Sora scratched the back of his head ruefully and held out a hand to help Roxas stand up from the tiled floor. Roxas accepted his offer, soon before greeting more guests.

This afternoon reminded him of his first awakening in the hospital. All of his friends had come to visit him, and it felt like home. Today was the day that had replayed all over again; just in his apartment instead of a hospital room.

They spoke nothing that pertained to his injured arm, focused on each other's company. It was like their own special party, filled with faith, love and happiness. Roxas hadn't realized no one was paying attention to the time until he did.

11:13pm blinked at him, flashing a sudden reminder of school…and **work**. "Guys, I'm sorry. But I really need to sleep. I have classes and work tomorrow."

Everyone exchanged expressions with one another and Riku was the first to speak. "Alrighty, take better care of yourself 'kay Rox? Don't go emo on us; it's not you." He slapped him on the back with plenty of energy. Trinity sighed and shook her head, but smiled nonetheless. The two shooed everyone out the door, tossing jackets to one another while bidding farewell. He looped an arm around Trinity's shoulders, gesturing they go to bed too.

She fell away from his grasp for a moment, approaching Roxas with a concerned expression. The words were ready on her tongue, grazing the inside of her lips. But she held them back in hopes of preventing an outburst from him. He turned to her, a stoic façade asking she just leave him be… He needed time to himself. She understood, squeezing his shoulder before returning to Riku.

As soon as they closed the door to their room upstairs, Roxas' posture slumped forward. He wanted to be alone, yet it didn't feel right when he insisted on distancing himself from people who cared about him.

* * *

Roxas finished cleaning out the living room, and it took him a shorter amount of time than before. He surveyed his battered body again that late evening, checking for any open wounds before rest. They were sealed and protected from infection, just what he wouldn't need after a hectic day.

He couldn't help but let his mind drift when he realized he couldn't sleep. No matter how many times he tried, nothing worked to force him into a deep slumber. He gazed at the shadows that danced on his ceiling, as if the contorted figures were conversing with him. The darkness reminded him of many things, death and loss being the most terrifying.

He almost experienced both in one night, but was thankfully rescued by the ambulance. His mind was a haze when he tried remembering the exact events; nothing sprung a clue. Roxas sighed; the smell of blood and tears still lingered in the air. It was fresh, the metallic taste carressing the tip of his tongue. He licked his lips when the nostalgic reminder invaded his mind.

None of the pieces made sense; he almost is almost shot to death after suffering a high level of brutality, Naminé screams his name…then what?

He found her in the same hospital room as him, more injured than he imagined. Did something happen when he blacked out? Was he awake still? Sweat slithered against his cool skin, calming his rapid heartbeat. Roxas' suspicion rang all around his being, his mind swirling in circles of confusion and fear. There were thousands of questions that still lay unanswered.

Roxas sat up, his pajama shirt soaked to the bone. He unbuttoned the plaid shirt, each button slipping through his fingers in a hushed silence. He threw it in a heap of unclean clothing before sitting on the edge of his comforter.

"Damn."

He walked toward his bathroom to rid himself of the grime and perspiration that coated his face. His hands gripped the edges of the white sink. His knuckles, drained of their flush color, had turned a ghostly white. Tonight would be a repeat of all the other nights; insomnia took advantage of his disposition.

His heart echoed each individual syllable of her name. He ached for her all the time...everything else had lost its taste since his final farewell. Sleep was foreign to Roxas, something he dreaded and yearned since the incident. Every, waking, moment.

He stared at the mirror, a loathsome gaze marring his features when a figure stared back; blank and lifeless in the reflection. He would tell himself he was hallucinating when Naminé's disfigured appearance haunted his mind. He screamed, images of that night replaying again and again. They brought him to his knees, forcing him to grip the sides of his head to endure a migraine from ascending to an unbearable level. The loss of someone he loves, cherishes, could be dead because of _**him**_.

'_Why must I suffer?'_

* * *

A word from the author…

Sorry about the length. It's short because of the transition from one character to another, just a small window into Roxas' world. He's torn from Naminé again, and as much as I hate it, the scene was going to come sooner or later.

Anyway, I hope to write chapter twelve soon. Thank you for your support, critique and comments/suggestions.


	12. Acid

**Twelve: Acid**

Naminé's body refused sleep; it didn't matter how much effort she put into forcing herself, no method of hers prevailed. Perhaps it was the restlessness in her habitual movements. She turned over again that night, supporting the side of her head with one of her arms while the other lay at her side. The comforters whispered against her clothes and skin, sweeping about her body.

'_I miss you, Hiro,_' she sighed, unable to hold in the stale oxygen for too long. Her lungs felt emptier than before, full of anxiety and trembling with worry. She was always cold when she had no knowledge of his location; work created a large rift in their relationship. She wondered if he would become consumed by the influence of his family's company, and would have no time for her.

She sat up, not bothering to glance at the clock since she assumed it was well into the night. She pushed the covers away from her body, a sudden breeze claiming her. She hadn't noticed, too focused on the separation between herself…and her _fiancé_.

The name didn't sound right to say on her tongue and past her lips; she examined the creases of a missing ring on her third finger of her right hand. The ring flashed in her memory, as if it belonged there.

She paid no heed to her musings, stepping out of the confines of her bed and walked toward her bathroom. She pushed strands of her hair away from her shoulders, splitting her elongated bangs that tickled her eyelashes. Her tired expression was no surprise to gaze at; this wasn't the first night she was deprived of sleep.

The girl glared at the reflection in her mirror; darkened half moons claimed beneath her lower eyelashes, and bleak, cerulean pupils were supposed to be her eyes. She recognized who that was, but her memory begged to differ. She pressed the tips of her fingers against the sides of her head, just above her cheeks. She rubbed them in a circular manner in a languid fashion.

She hoped the source of this headache was a mild case of stress.

--

The morning after didn't fair any better. It was unfortunate, due to the fact her summer studies were rescheduled. She cursed to herself, berations echoing in her conscious as she tightened her hands into fists. Her knuckles were bone white from the amount of pressure she applied in her tiny appendages. A familiar silver limo pulled up to the curb, no more than fifteen minutes after departing with the young girl.

"My apologies, Miss Naminé." Duo made a move to open her door like always. She anticipated his movements, opening the door herself before stepping in and closing it. She kept her head bowed, staring at the intentional hole in her jeans.

Her fingers intertwined with the opposing digits, creating a stronghold that dared others to break it. Her frustration and worry was clear to see in her expression, but Duo couldn't push the issue. He had no authority, much less the right to speak to her unless it involved the young master or any important dates or schedules that pertained to her. He stuck the car the keys into the ignition, turning it once or twice before the engine received enough friction to start the car again. He set the limo into drive, moving about the busy streets and to escort Naminé back to the estate.

"Duo,"

"Yes, Miss Naminé?"

"How much longer is Hiro's stay at Traverse?"

"For a few more days, I believe."

Naminé bit her lip, dissatisfied with such an answer. She knew her rationality was wavering and her mind gave her false hopes, but she was desperate to be reunited with him after so long. He was traveling the country, visiting quite a majority of the branch companies so that his employees are acquainted with their upcoming CEO, but…

_Wasn't she supposed to be more important than his work?_

The answer faded from her grip before she could assume anything. There weren't any calls on her cell, no text message, not even a notification from his parents. She knew nothing of his employees at the main headquarters, and she'd rather not go within proximity of that large building anyway. Her worry and anxiety crawled up her torso, rattling her rib cage.

She wanted to admit her longing to see him, her emotional attachment to the man ever powerful. Most would think her insane, but she was in love with him. Yet a sense of doubt began to poke and nudge at her so called "love" and "devotion". She shook her head, defying her doubts over her relationship with Hiro. She reassured herself that her missing him was what blindsided her.

"Miss Naminé, did you hear what I just explained to you?"

She perked up in response, flustered by her tunneled hearing. She apologized, asking for him to repeat his statement. A smile spread itself across his lips, but she hadn't noticed at all.

"Master and Lady Takamura request that you try not to worry so much about Hiro. They know how much you wish to talk to him. But for now, you should be focused on other matters, such as your schooling and wedding."

She flinched at the last word he said to her, as if he were accusing her of committing a terrible sin in front of his eyes. She didn't understand as to why she reacted in such a manner. Her eyes averted from the rearview mirror in front of her, fluttering closed until her hand caught her sight again that day. She couldn't stop staring at the empty space of the third finger of her right hand. Something was supposed to be there, and yet, she felt as if the very ring held no type of significance for her in the first place.

She remembered the afternoon Hiro proposed to her, but most of that morning prior was a blank. She was sure she was thinking about someone, but "who" was questioned. The more she contemplated, the more the back of her head throbbed in agony, screaming and repelling her.

She grit her teeth, on the verge of spilling tears. She arrived before she knew it, the car coming to an abrupt stop; she arrived at the estate.

Naminé nodded to all of the servants who greeted her at the door; it was routine for her to see them smiling, feign or intended. She continued to walk forward, her driver shedding her jacket to put it on a hanger. She thanked him before traveling down the long hallway and toward her room. She shut the door behind her, isolating herself from a world she hardly knew.

She laid herself on the Victorian couch, the cushions and pillows sighed around her petite form, framing her position. She wasn't as comfortable as she hoped, frowning in response. "A few more days…" she said to herself; she raised her right hand, covering a part of the diamond lights above her, allowing a bit of luminance past the barrier of her palm and fingers.

By just lifting that same hand, it reminded her of her missing ring, but she dared to not tell Hiro. She was sure she had it somewhere, but the feeling of wearing that object of his affections was still…strange. As if she wasn't meant to wear it, or it had belonged to someone prior. She turned on her side, cradling her head with one arm while the other lay at her side, brushing her kneecaps.

Her sudden curiosity took hold of her during those quiet moments. She wanted to know what happened before she woke up in the hospital, but neither Hiro nor his parents would let a single word slip. His sister wouldn't know, since she was away at the time. She grasped her phone that had fallen on the floor a foot away from her, dialing a number she knew by heart.

"_Hello?"_

"It's me." Naminé's voice was low, kept toward the phone to prevent any outside ears from hearing.

* * *

"So, you're finally the big two-one, huh?" Riku offered Roxas a hearty slap on the back before smiling. The blond kept from spilling his drink all over himself, forcing some of the liquid back into the clear cup. The ice cubes clinked and clacked against one another when he set the cup down onto his countertop.

"I guess so."

Becoming older was never a good thing for Roxas—especially when it involved Riku, and alcohol. The last time he got within proximity of alcohol, he suffered a hangover that took a day or two to recover from. He wondered why Riku was such a party animal, and why he couldn't just lay back and enjoy something other than bright lights, loud music, and uncontrollable behavior. Roxas wanted Riku to--at least before meeting Trinity--for him to stay with one girl for more than half a day.

His fingers pressed against his temple, attempting to flatten out an oncoming migraine. He was finally twenty-one, the legal age for drinking. But it didn't matter to him, since he ended up drinking underage already. Riku smirked, "We have big plans for you tonight, so if you're thinking of just sitting here on your birthday, you have another thing coming."

Roxas turned to his silver-haired companion, "We?"

"Well, yeah! It'll be a guy's night out. It's about time you get your mind off things and have some fun for once."

"Anything involving 'fun' and 'you' is never a good thing, Riku." Roxas narrowed his eyes when Riku draped his arm around his shoulders, giving him a severe noogie.

Sora opened the door to Riku's apartment, thanking Trinity for giving him a key as he continued to talk to her through his phone. He clicked it off after telling her goodbye, turning his attention to his friends. He arched an eyebrow, "What's with the gloomy expression, Rox?" His Nobody did nothing more than glare at him as well, setting his lips in a thin line of annoyance.

"Apparently, I'm not going to be able to get myself out of this situation." he muttered, shaking Riku off of him. He stood, running his hands through his spiked locks again. He sat atop one of the stairs before shaking his head again, tousling his hair about.

Riku and Sora exchanged glances before shrugging at one another. Sora fetched a carton of milk from the fridge, indulging himself with the creamy beverage. Riku scoffed at Roxas' emotional behavior. He missed Naminé as much as everyone else, but there really wasn't anything they could do. They had no idea where _**they**_ had taken her after Roxas signed himself out of the hospital. They would have followed her trail—if there was one.

_All they saw were clean bed sheets where Naminé lied before._

"Look, Rox." Riku came by his friend's side, sympathetic thoughts roaming about his mind. He patted his shoulder again before chastising him for thinking of the past. He was saddened by the loss of Naminé too, but what could they do? As far as they knew, she could be in another country as soon as she was taken out of the hospital. All they could do is think of her, and hope to reunite with her someday, if…if her _Hiro_ would allow it. The chances were slim, but Riku figured that if he saw her, he would talk to her.

"We all miss Nam as much as you. But moping and sulking about losing her isn't going to fix anything. I know it's 'easier said than done', but you're going to have to move on."

_Move on…_

The very words echoed in Roxas' chest, creating ripples that refused to stop speaking to his broken heart. He was unable to do much, let alone focus on his studies when he was supposed to. He shrugged at Riku, an aloof expression across his paled features.

"Hey, hey, hey." Sora broke the unruly silence, too uncomfortable with the gloomy atmosphere. He glanced at the clock before nodding to himself. "Roxas just turned twenty-one today, shouldn't that be something to be happy about?"

Roxas creased his eyebrows, contemplating a decision. That's right, he was now twenty-one, and he had no work, his homework was done, so—"Alright." He stood from his place at the stairs, wrapping his arms around his friend's shoulders, pulling them into a sideways embrace. "Let's go out, just the three of us. I want to party!" A smile replaced the thin, solemn line of his lips in a few seconds time.

"That's the spirit!" Riku smirked, offering Roxas a solid jab in his stomach, an act of brotherly affection.

The blond chuckled in response before walking toward his room. He went to retrieve his jacket, but decided to take a quick shower instead. He told Riku and Sora ahead of time that he needed a few minutes before leaving with them. They agreed, taking a few moments to speak to one another without Roxas' presence.

--

"Dude…" Riku smirked through the reflection in the rearview mirror. He turned it down toward him, gazing at the priceless expression in his companion's face. He knew this place would surprise him.

"Exactly."

"Riku, you're the man." Sora initiated a high-five in the passenger seat; Riku received the glory and recognition. The colorful atmosphere was similar to The Kosmik Starr, though more into the blaring music and huge crowds of celebrities and usual folk all around. The car was set into park at one of the spaces toward the back, giving them time to get out and gain their composure from sitting in there for so long.

"RIKU!" A large group of ladies clad in interesting attire came running toward the keyblader, surrounding him on all sides. Some took hold of his arms, others pushed their bodies against him as they continued to snuggle him with love. He wiggled his eyebrows at all of them, never breaking his stride to please and pull off his signature grin.

Roxas slapped his forehead and Sora shook his head. _Typical._ No matter where they went, Riku was always treated like a celebrity. They wouldn't be surprised if Trinity found out about his…popularity with the women at all the clubs he visited. The hordes of girls flaunted over him, asking him questions left and right, wondering if he would accompany them or if he could drink with them. The requests were endless.

"Now girls," Another voice broke through the large crowd. High heels clacked against the asphalt of the parking lot before coming to an abrupt stop. "No need to hog the Prince, there's plenty to go around."

She cupped her hips with her hands, adorned with fishnet clothing that twisted around her two middle fingers. Strawberry-blond hair was swept back into a high ponytail, while a chunk of bangs covered her right eye. Dark eyeliner dressed up her eyelashes, creating a mask to conceal her true features.

Her clothing stuck to her body like a second skin, giving off the impression that she wasn't naïve and proud to show off her curvaceous body. She eyed Riku for a moment before trailing her sight to the other two men that arrived with him. She raised her eyebrows at how Sora and Roxas fidgeted underneath her alluring gaze. She licked her lips, testing the uneasy air between herself, her group of partygoers, and her alleged company for the night.

"Long time no see, Riku." She drawled his name from her tongue, twisting the very word and batting it in between her breaths.

"Elle." He nodded in recognition.

"So, what was the last minute call for? Special occasion?"

"You read my mind." he smirked. He never expected anything less of her. Riku tipped his head in another direction, motioning Roxas and Sora to pay close attention. He quietly murmured to each girl to behave tonight, for he brought guests along with him. They giggled in response; a simple 'okay' and some nods made him satisfied of his power over them.

"My left-hand man, Roxas, turned the big two-one today. Of course, you already knew that Sora, my right-hand turned two-one last night. But I decided to have them celebrate it at the same time."

"Is that so?"

"You bet."

She narrowed her eyes until they were half-lidded slits. She smiled again, the rich shade of her lips gleaming beneath the moonlight. "Wonderful idea." She clapped her hands, signaling a few of her girls to come at her call. They obeyed like always, ready and awaiting her command. She whispered to them a proposition neither man heard.

They were bewildered, curious to know of Elle's antics. The two girls took Sora's hands, dragging him away from Roxas' side. Sora brushed against Riku, enough to stop and warn him of his relationship with Trinity—not to mention his own with Kairi. The girls would be furious if they found out they were here tonight. Riku waved the matter away, assuring them he wasn't going to cheat on Trinity, making sure he was going to be careful tonight.

Riku was more careful than people gave him credit for; in spite of his wild behavior, he's able to restrain himself from cheating on the one girl he has true feelings toward. He knew she wanted a serious relationship with him after the many times he pursued her. She caught the impression of him as being a suave player, careless toward the sensitive emotions within any girl. She may not have shown it behind her tough, unyielding exterior, but she was just as human as any other girl out there. Prone to getting hurt if the right person pushed her too far.

Sora was more worried about getting too close to girls, nervous as always. He wasn't one to flirt with women in general, too embarrassed. Roxas knew it took a miracle before his other half was able to confess his feelings to Kairi.

Roxas felt a pair of arms encircle around one of his own. "Twenty-one, huh?" He didn't have to look to identify the owner of the voice. "I'll give you a night to remember," she purred in his ear, expecting he fall beneath her seduction. He would have, if he were as gullible.

He smirked at her; he didn't dislike her behavior, but he certainly would not reject her if she was willing to help ease the stress that overwhelmed him for some time.

* * *

"Yes, I know. I'm sorry." Naminé played with a few strands of her hair, a nervous habit that was hard to break. "No…but I'm just worried. And _lonely_,"

She walked about her room in circles, unable to sit in one place for too long without twitching again. She leaned against the beam that supported her canopy bed, putting one foot over the other as her opposite hand gripped the bend in her elbow. She gazed at the ceiling, sighing to herself, but not out of relief. She thought the shivering in her heart was because of her longing to be with Hiro, having not seen him for such a long time.

The individual on the opposite line spoke again, breaking the daze in Naminé's thoughts. A question of concern passed from the receiver to her, asking of what they could do to help. She shook her head, smiling a bitter grin. The one person that could help heal this ache in her chest was the one who was absent in her life at the moment.

"Thank you. Oh, no…really, it's okay. I'll call you tomorrow, okay? G'night." She clicked her cell phone off, shutting it. She let it drop from her grip and onto the plush carpet. A blank stare dominated the usual shine in her fair skinned face; she wanted to be with Hiro, but his dedication to the family business had priority.

Their current relationship was consisting of empty flirting and occasional calls. She embraced herself, feeling no comfort from her feeble effort. She spotted a familiar shirt on her comforter, walking over to it. She grasped it and brought the clump of fabric to her nose, inhaling the distinct scent of her fiancé.

The tranquility that radiated off the sole evidence of him was enough to calm her down. She let the tenseness in her shoulders relax before falling backward and onto her bed. She remembered when he had worn this very shirt; it was during a warm autumn evening, holding her for hours without a single reason.

Tears pricked through the corners of her closed eyelids, running off the sides of her cheeks and into her hair. '_Where are you…Hiro?_' She turned over to retrieve her purse, allowing her hand to rummage inside before something left her perplexed. Her keys to her apartment were missing, and her planner for work and rehearsals wasn't present either. She sat up, blinking the tears out of her eyes.

Naminé wasted no time to pick up her phone again, slipping on a light jacket and a pair of jeans before she was out the door.

Yumekii stopped her in the hallway, holding her arm in a firm grip. "Miss Naminé, you know that you are not allowed—"

"Please, let me go. I need to go get my—"

"I'm sorry, but I cannot comply with your wishes, Miss Naminé."

A low ember sparked in her eyes as she stared down at her bodyguard. The guard Hiro assigned to keep an eye on her. "My belongings are very personal and important to me." She pleaded with him before he cut her every sentence off.

"I'm sure Hiro would dislike it if you didn't listen to what I say." Her words made him freeze, forcing him to consider the chances of his return. He knew he wouldn't any time soon, but that didn't mean it wasn't possible. Yumekii sighed before asking her why she was so desperate to leave the premises at this time of night. She needed to retrieve her keys and a few other choice belongings from Hiro's apartment, nothing more.

Duo intervened seconds before her bodyguard insisted to escort her back to her assigned room. "I'll care for Miss Naminé. You wouldn't like to make her uncomfortable by denying her requests. Master Hiro did say to keep an eye on her and keep her out of trouble, but there isn't anything wrong with her being allowed to go to his apartment." He glanced toward Naminé, noticing the relief in her expression as she wrestled out of her guard's vice grip.

--

The two left the confines of the Takamura estate, "Thank you, Duo."

"My pleasure, Miss Naminé." He started the engine of the car, pulling out of the usual parking spot to get onto the road. They drove away in minutes, calmly enjoying each other's company through idle chatter. The two fell silent afterward, savoring the complete lack of sound other than the gears of the car. The young woman allowed herself time of deliberation, assuring herself that she was going to get her things and return before Hiro's parents discover of her…abrupt absence.

They arrived in no time, but something caught her eye for a moment. She noticed the slight change in the complex, and guessed that since it had been a while, they decided to remodel the building. She shrugged the matter away, getting out of the car.

"I'll be back in a few minutes." Duo nodded in response, advising her to be careful on her way up the steps. She smiled at him, turning away to begin her ascent.

She succeeded in getting to the top, happy to know his Japanese peace lilies hadn't died while he was away. She watered them with the outside can for a moment, and then reverted back to her main intention. But something else was peculiar. The door was ajar; a shiver ran down Naminé's spine, warning her not to step into the vacant home of her fiancé's. She shook her head, tousling her bleached locks about her face and neck.

No, she came here just to get her planner and keys; perhaps one of his maids just forgot to completely lock up. '_Right._' She pumped her fist in determination, stepping inside and closing the door behind her. She turned on one light, and it was more than enough for her to see the entire living space. She trailed her fingers along the leather couch arm, smiling at the time she sat with Hiro. He asked her out to dine with him, and she had a wonderful time with him.

Afterward he surprised her with a gift for her birthday. It was the year she had forgotten it, due to her hectic schedule. She located her planner and beloved keys, cradling them to her chest. But she heard a sound coming from down the hall. She pivoted to turn quicker, but the sound dissipated in the air. She wanted to make her way to the door, but…

A low pounding sound beat against the wall nearby her. Her knees trembled for a moment before she followed the low drumming. She drew closer down the hall, hearing other cacophonous sounds from behind Hiro's bedroom door. She couldn't define them, nor tell whether or not they were from a person or just the wind tricking her ears.

She was curious to know what was going on; she swallowed a deep breath, pressing her hand against the mahogany surface of the door. The very object was what separated her from the bedroom. It dared for her to push it open, tempting the shivers and trembles in her heart. She closed her eyes tight before opening them again. She gave in, turning the doorknob clockwise and nudged the door wide open.

A solid, profound gasp escaped her lips faster than she realized.

* * *

The guys were having the time of their lives, drinking their concerns of a hard life away. Each one was accompanied and enjoying everything in sight. Roxas had never felt so free since the time he went out with Riku several months ago. But the memory brought him back to his senses…for a moment. Elle ripped him from his conscious, purring in his ear about how she was going to make him feel good.

He approved by smiling at her. He didn't care if she was just saying those words out of acting; he wanted to have a good time, so why refuse her offer?

His hand trailed downward from her shoulders, locating the small of her back. He pressed her against him, her stomach melding into his hipbone. She growled at his challenging stare while he shrugged as if it were no big deal. She palmed his cheek before stealing his lips, meeting the slightly chapped ones belonging to him. He pushed against her, relaxing the ache in his muscles. He wasn't going to resist anymore. He was single, without a girlfriend of any kind. The love he still possessed toward a certain someone wouldn't rest on his heart, but it didn't matter anymore.

_Time for you to move on, Roxas…_

Riku's words sank in completely, aiding him to let go of the burden he carried on his back since the beginning. Elle pulled away, but not before tugging on his lower lip, begging to take more from him. He would give it to her, if she so desired. "Wasn't informed by Riku you were a good kisser."

"I'd think for him to not be privy of that information, Elle."

"Is that so?"

Roxas kissed her again, "Would you believe me if I said yes?"

"Should I?"

"You tell me."

Elle smirked at him, rearing at his evasive behavior. It was like poking her with temptation, showing it to her on a silver platter but slapping her hands away to keep from touching it. She felt her heart race at the sight of his attractive face glowing beneath the multi-colored lights flashing about, the ear-splitting music drowning out the rest of the world, leaving her with the blond "knight in shining armor".

She took his hand, leading him off the dance floor and toward the bar. She ordered them both drinks, feeling the need to loosen up. She waited to find a guy like him, and didn't expect Riku to bring a stud – two of them, rather. "So, how long have you known Riku?" She heard his question after a few moments, turning her body toward him.

She brushed her ankle against his denim-clad leg, curving along with his calf until finding the bend in his knee. He caught her leg, lifting it up toward him and raised his eyebrows in amazement. He didn't think she could be flexible too! He admired her physique before kissing the very joint that touched him seconds before. She giggled, "Quite some time, hon. First time I met him, I was seventeen. How about you?"

Roxas sipped the cool liquid of his drink, not knowing what it was. The consistency slid down his throat, parching it and leaving him wanting more. He assumed alcohol was in it, sipping more before chugging it entirely. The bartender refilled it to his request. "About a year before you, now that I think about it." The two continued to indulge themselves with the delicious beverages. _**One after another…**_

"I have an idea. How about we go to my place? I could show you around." She drawled, watching a light flush claim Roxas' cheeks. She found it enticing, and very cute. She wouldn't deny he was sexy, slurring his responses to her before leaning forward to kiss her neck. She let him before grabbing his hand and embracing one of her breasts. His heart jumped in his chest at the contact of soft flesh beneath a thin layer of clothing. But he was excited, nonetheless.

--

The night faded away when the two arrived at Elle's suite. They stumbled in through the door, laughing at their unorthodox movements, but the heat touched between them weren't deterred. The inside was dark, but they hardly noticed, intoxicated by one another.

Her hands pushed against his chest, separating them for a few seconds, "Happy Birthday, Roxas." She licked her lips before tugging on the tie fastened his ironed shirt, leading him to her bedroom. He followed with obedience unknown to him; the power exerted upon him was the very drinks he swallowed several hours ago.

He slipped out of her grip around his tie, pushing her against the doorframe. His body was flush as they kissed each other, wrapped up in temptation and lustful intentions. She managed to turn the doorknob, allowing them to slip into the room with little resistance.

She lured him further until the backs of her knees hit the frame of her bed, forcing her backward. She tugged Roxas with her, his muscular figure pushing up against her while clothes hindered their skins from meeting.

Fabrics of various colors, shapes and sizes were strewn about the plush carpet. Elle's hands traced every muscle and curve of his back as they rippled beneath her soft touch. Roxas reciprocated, using his left to stretch his fingers apart so they spanned the plane of the small of her back. "Take me." Left her lips as they prevented him from saying anything in exchange.

She pushed him over so he was on his back this time, giving her the opportunity to straddle his hips. She let her hair down from by unwrapping the elastic that held it in place. Her locks flowed downward in a smooth fashion, caressing her shoulders and neck. She moved down a little, teasing him by pulling his boxers down his hips a bit further. She caressed the more sensitive flesh of his lower abdomen, loving the smoothness as he struggled to hold in a groan.

_Is this right?_

She leaned downward to taste his body, suckling the skin to fulfill her thirst. He let her, his heart filling with a blurred sense of elation. But something inside told him that this wasn't—

_What are you doing?_

"Roxas…" The way she said his name was different. As if the two were tangoing, battling one another for dominance. Elle was far from innocent, nothing he'd come across before except Iena. She was bold and daring, but—

"_Roxas, don't make this any harder than it already is…_"

The affects of the alcohol were still at full power, locking Roxas in place and refusing to let go. The blond let a gasp escape when her saliva claimed the flesh of his abdomen, kissing further down while her hands pulled away at the final barrier between them. His drunken state was evident in his eyes, the glossed oceans shifting about to gaze at the shadowed face of a young woman.

He thought everything he was feeling was right, but at the same time, he thought of what it would be like to receive this from Naminé.

Naminé…

Her name was the sweetest thing he could ever think or say, the way each syllable rolled off his tongue with little difficulty. His eyelids drooped, the woman said something, still holding onto the elastic band of his boxers, just centimeters away from tugging them completely off.

"Nam…Nami—?" He couldn't say her name, no matter how hard he tried, and his slurred annunciation wasn't permitting him to say anything coherent. He damned the alcohol, but he didn't care. He saw an expansion of black afterward, the sound of his light snoring echoed in the room.

Disappointed and pouting, Elle crossed her arms over her breasts. She found it ridiculous that such a young, attractive young man had fallen asleep during her ministrations. She wanted to see the burning desire hidden away in his clothing, her hands ready to slide them down any minute. He felt his body struggling to turn over; she narrowed her eyes at him, getting off his hips.

She sat on the edge of the bed; her concern for lack of attire hadn't bothered her. She caressed his cheek before turning behind her, seeing the clothing spread about her floor.

They were _**so**_ close…

She supposed in the morning he would make up for falling asleep. Her cell rang, startling her for a moment. Elle retrieved it, "Hello?"

"Mmm…alright. I'll be over in a minute," she purred through the receiver, cooing the young gentleman on the opposite line. She clicked the device shut, walking into her closet to get a new outfit for her night with another man. She pulled Roxas' boxers up to his hips again, tucking him in and kissing his lips.

"I'll be back, handsome." She didn't expect an answer, turning away and closing the door of her bedroom behind her. She was okay for not having sex with him, but would be satisfied with someone else as a sufficient replacement. A smirk plastered itself across her candy-flavored lips, satisfied for tasting him in the least.

* * *

The young woman's shallow breathing reflected the regret and anger in her heart. She kept running, but no matter where she went, cool tears greeted her. Her own were long gone, but still fell from the cracks from the entity housed in her chest. She clutched her things closer to her as she ran through the rain, in search of someone, anyone but him.

His betrayal was like molten lava rocks beating against her ribs, melting away at the strong, white structure. She couldn't believe his words, let alone the scene she had witnessed. What a horrible, bitter feeling that slid on her tongue. The raw airway of her throat wasn't any better, forcing her to swallow down the sobs that took her voice captive a few broken moments at a time.

_The mortification in her eyes painted the once innocent azure was overcome by grief_. _He was guilty, trying to get her to listen to him. She wouldn't, refusing every word as she clutched the sides of her head, staring at the floor beneath her feet. He approached her, grasping her upper arms and shaking her._

_She accused him of his absence, of his unhealthy obsession over work. He didn't blame her for those things, but wanted to calm her down so she could be rational. She heard the very words ringing in her head._

_**I told you.**_

_Her hand stung for several minutes, the last part of her body was numb, overloaded by deception and distrust. She said something to him, spitting words while choking on the salted moisture that was evident in her eyes. She turned away from him, from his touch, from…everything._

_Naminé ran out the door, out of his apartment. She forgot to pick up her fallen planner and keys near the doorstep. But what was the point when—_

_**Why didn't you realize this before?**_

_Her cell phone was the next victim to fall onto the ground, sealing its fate as she abandoned it. Her footsteps were erased, never leaving more than a faint print as it was washed clean. Her shoddy locks clung to her, as well as her clothing, as if preventing any kind of escape her to break through. Her legs whined and complained, aching and begging for her to stop. _'_No._' _she kept running._

She came to a stop in the middle of the sidewalk, covering her mouth to hush the tears. She crumbled to the ground, screaming beneath the thunder that rattled about her body. She couldn't stop, unsure if she was the one yelling anymore.

"_How could you?!_"

…

…

…

She couldn't see anymore, her tears and the rain blinded her at every turn. Her air was scarce, knocking her unconscious.

* * *

Sorry it's so late...school has a tendency to steal my free time. I promise to update and be on here more often, but I don't guarantee it.


	13. When Things Fall Apart

I know what you're thinking. What the **HELL** took me so long you ask? Well...school, work, dA and a case of motivation deficiency. This chapter, to be completely honest, was finished last July 2009 and was scheduled to be posted August of the same year. But for some reason I have just been struggling with this story, so I'm making it up to my faithful readers (if you're still there) by posting it today.

Happy reading, and I'm sorry for taking so long and leaving you guys with a nasty cliffhanger. Check my deviantART profile for latest updates; it's my home base there so if you have an account you can bother me for new chapters and such LOL.

_P.S.: Know that Trinity and Sakuya are characters that belong to me, but Sakuya is just a filler. Trinity is a real Original Character of mine. Thanks!_

Hope you guys enjoy the thirteenth chapter of _Two People, One Heart_.

* * *

**Thirteen: When Things Fall Apart...**

_"Don't touch me, Riku!"_

"_It isn't my fault, I swear!"_

"_That's what you always say, giving me that bull that all of your other girlfriends probably believed."_

"_What the hell is that supposed to mean?"_

"_You know what I mean – cut it out! I'm sick of your lies!"_

"_Since when I have I lied to you? You know I never would, not willingly…"_

"_Stay the hell away from me you bastard!"_

It was nearly a week since the last time Roxas had gone out. He would stay in the new room he moved into, insisting on his privacy and requesting nothing more than that. Riku and Trinity continued to bicker at one another, unaware of their guest whose intentions were to never listen to a single word escape their mouths.

The insults hurled and defenses were shattered upon the ground, turned into dust and became nothing more. The shadows in Roxas' new room crept up and over the hills and ridges of his wrinkled bed sheets, slithering toward their desired target like a hunter to its prey. The young man turned over on his bed again, curling his muscular body into a loose ball, frustrated with himself and the last few months that had turned his life upside down.

_"Did that whore like what you did to her? To them?!"_

"_It wasn't like that—"_

"_Then_ _do_ _inform me of just how you can't seem to stop influencing others to follow your lead!"_

"_Trinity! I'm telling the truth for—"_

"_No, you aren't! Those marks, lip stick colors and stains on your clothes are telling me what the f—"_

"_Honey—"_

"_Stay away from me!"_

Roxas exited his room, walking past his friends to retrieve a glass of water before disappearing again in the confines of the one place that couldn't harm him further. This was ridiculous, more so than he dared to admit. He made a fool of himself at that damn club; Trinity was on the brink of dumping Riku – though he wasn't surprised that would happen. The two were fighting about plenty of things, but most focused on their individual behaviors and habits that had yet to break from their usual stride.

He wondered how long this hell of a nightmare would be before things would calm themselves down again. Or if they would at all this time around. The answer was unclear as always, which left him floating in space without a lifeline to hold onto.

He stood up from his bed again and made his way out for another round, a surprising record.

"Riku…" He nudged the door open to his roommate's domain, revealing the reckless pair in a passionate embrace. Trinity shoved her boyfriend away while attempting to hold her chest bandages together, embarrassed by the unraveling of her bandages that were bound to her chest.

Unaffected and blank, Roxas released a calm breath before turning around; he was still a gentleman at heart, keeping himself modest and respectful while also closing his eyes in case his sight strays where it isn't permitted. "…I'll just come back to get my bag from your room."

"Yeaaah…sounds—" Riku cleared his throat, scratching the back of his head. "sounds like a plan, dude."

The door closed behind Roxas before Riku even finished his sentence, isolating the pair from their friend once more. The cool silence left behind forced Roxas to keep walking, ignoring the whispered argument about his unexpected entrance and their heated dispute replaced with lust and aggression. The blond man could care less about the love lives of others, knowing how screwed up his was in comparison to everyone else's.

He continued walking down the stairs, his bare feet molding against the tiled floor of the living and kitchen rooms. The warmth of the apartment never comforted him, only the residents who lived there. He was just a "visitor", after all.

Before he could blink, his fist slammed against the wall adjacent to him, producing a large, gaping hole. His strength wasn't surprising, a result of his prior training and gift as a keyblade wielder, but…

"Shit."

There was a saying he heard some time ago, and passed it off as but a nuisance. But now, it slapped him in the face, refusing to be unheard once more. He grit his teeth with frustration, finding himself back in the same spot he had been in the whole time. Perhaps it was denial; he shook his head at that fact, having known that very habit could not have been a factor at all. Yes, that's right.

_No._

Instead, he was given what was the worst day of his life. He was kicked back into the mud with the sole intention of never getting up to try again. Why do it when Hiro will just win Naminé over again? Compared to him, Roxas was nothing. A _**Nobody**_. What irony; being called that name once more reminded him just how true of a statement it was. He had tried his best to change Naminé's mind, and for what? To get pushed back and twisted about until he was unrecognizable?

Roxas sighed, "Maybe it is good that she's staying away."

Where did everything go wrong? Was it because he couldn't control himself? His feelings? Roxas was beyond confusion, beyond healing beyond…anything. All he wanted was her, to be with her, her and no other.

"Good intentions…only lead you to Hell."

Roxas turned around, his eyes widening at the one who spoke to him. Trinity's shoulders sagged as she watched him with her dulled, foggy eyes. Her face was gaunt and near emotionless as she moved toward him, pulling him into a small, chaste embrace. She wouldn't admit that arguing with Riku got her nowhere, but to not apologize left her remorseful and hurt. She hoped Riku wasn't…too mad at her for her mistake.

* * *

_"Dude, I don't know what's going on with Namin__é__. Don't you remember what happened? When we went back to the hospital she was gone and as far as I can tell she'll stay invisible as long as that blockhead of a fiancee__ she has watches her every move."_ Pence shook his head while attempting to counsel and comfort his friend. His concern for Naminé was still a touchy subject, but it was important nonetheless.

Riku's voice was quiet and exasperated, "Wonderful."

_"You heard from anyone? You and Trinity on talking terms yet?"_

"Nope. And that won't happen any time soon."

Pence sighed and shook his head, closing a textbook after finishing his homework. He pressed a button on his house phone for 'speaker', walking away to retrieve a water bottle from his refrigerator.

The conversation had been going on since earlier that afternoon, and he wondered why a certain friend of his decided to call. Though it was no surprise anymore; Riku couldn't speak to Trinity even after they had… "made up". They didn't do as he expected they would – seems every time they get close, they're interrupted.

She was still angry at him, and even went as far as taking his car keys and saying she was leaving for a few days, suffocated with the fact he'd rather go sneaking around with other women than realize the one he was with was the one who loved him.

_Now their relationship was hanging on a thread._

The brunette sighed once more, attempting to calm Riku down before asking about Roxas. Riku responded in the usual "grueling" descriptions, a painful norm now. Naminé was still nowhere to be found, Hiro's shift from pompous jerk to a raving, paranoid Nazi, which he weighted in sarcasm, and Roxas' emotional instability were all constants in a simple formula: Hell was unleashed, and there was no stopping it this time. Ever.

Riku hung up the phone after finishing his conversation with Pence, exhausted and wondering how everything could turn out rotten and go wrong. He felt that answering the very obvious question would just drive him insane.

He turned toward the door housing one of his best friends before pressing a palm against his forehead. "Rox…" He didn't earn a response from the distraught one inside the secluded room. He was thankful the door wasn't locked, turning the doorknob with ease and nudging it open with a gentle push.

But no one was in sight, as if the room had been vacant all this time.

--

Roxas stashed his hands into his pockets, breathing in the night breeze. A pair of passers-by eyed his depressed state, finding him strange before continuing their trek along the moist sidewalk. A speeding car flashed by him not too long ago, swinging around and performing a difficult left turn before halting to a prompt stop. It had been raining that evening, and water swept up and became a small wave, drenching Roxas. No article of his clothing remained dry, leaving him deeper in his pit of despair and frustration.

Whispers and snickers were heard, but he never gave a damn about others around him. It wasn't like things mattered anymore. The streetlight turned for walking to commence, cuing him to do as he intended. He had no destination in mind, just walking in an aimless manner through the blaring lights and large crowds.

"Hey, Mister!"

Roxas didn't turn around, and didn't consider looking over his shoulder. He ignored the tiny, adolescent voice that might have called out to him, or maybe it was directed toward another. They repeated again with the same politeness; in a few minutes time he relented, turning around and looking down at a pair of indigo eyes. He quirked an eyebrow when the little girl nudged something at him, holding it in her tiny palms.

"You d-dropped this." She offered him a smile, her eyes sparkling with an innocence he hadn't known in years.

He took his wallet from her gingerly, before kneeling down at her level. "Thank you, young Miss." She tilted her head at him, brushing back a few blond strands from her face from underneath her hood. Her image reminded him of someone who broke his heart, and of another who attempted to capture it. Twice. The mere thought left him suppressing a shiver, and he knew he wouldn't be able to sleep that night.

He heard a pair of footsteps approach the girl from behind; an older gentleman grasping her hand and apologized to Roxas for their daughter's wanderings. In response, Roxas thought nothing of it, thanking them both for their kindness. He wished humanity hadn't slapped him in the face like the past few months had done and was instead like the pair of people that had showed him some degree of civility. They were brutal and unyielding, leaving him irritated and wondering how he could possibly continue living when everything had gone wrong.

He sighed at his aimless pondering.

As the father and daughter left, she turned back to look at him before smiling once more, waving goodbye. He returned the gesture, faking a smile long enough for her to be satisfied. He was happy she shed some light in his dark, hazy world, but it was only enough for a moment before it all disappeared beneath the hard pour of the rain from above.

Roxas managed to drag himself home, thinking about that young girl and her kind act. She didn't have to give his wallet back to him; she could have taken it for all he knew. But that smile on her face, the way her grin seemed to radiate a light within the mist he was walking through told him there was something about her.

He didn't understand why this was happening all of a sudden.

He shut the door behind him after entering the quaint apartment, taking off his shoes and not bothering to set them next to one another, joining the large pile of other pairs as if mixing a soup. He saw Riku leaning against the counter with a cup of coffee in his hand, brooding while glaring at the scalding drink that left the flesh of his left palm clammy. He didn't even notice it was hot while he drank the beverage, distracted.

"Today's forecast," Roxas started, throwing off his jacket as it landed on the couch, slipping off the side and taking up space upon the floor.

"Shitty with a side of misery, perhaps?"

Riku didn't look at his friend, taking another sip of his coffee and yawning a little. The swollen mark on the side of his face explained what had happened moments after Roxas' departure. He didn't need to explain that he was going to accompany the couch until a certain someone was done being angry at him. He was bitter, but knew that it was ultimately his fault for discovering how his plans for a good, enjoyable birthday had gone from innocent to a big disaster.

Riku tossed Roxas a cup, who caught the glassware with little effort as the two met halfway. The blond watched the thick, creamy liquid fill the bottom until he couldn't see it anymore, drinking it hot like he always did.

What was tomorrow going to bring? More chaos and discord?

The very thought of 'tomorrow' left a chill on the back of Roxas' neck and he bid Riku goodnight, isolating himself in the darkness of his bedroom once more. He stared at the window, covered by drapes that concealed the moonlight from entering the premises. He shook his head with vigor at the reminder of the events from last week. The feelings prickled on his skin, the emotional scars and wounds he incurred fresh. He managed to scrub off the evidence as soon as he arrived back at the apartment, but Riku and Trinity had seen what happened, but never expected the worst at all.

Each memory embedded itself in his skull, scratching and taunting him over and over again. He wasn't sure how long he was able to keep from saying anything, preventing further discussion of a subject and event he never wanted to be a part of. At all. And yet he…complied. To a degree.

-~-~-

_The door was closed firmly, both locks turned halfway counterclockwise to keep the frame set upon the inserts without any space, refusing to budge for extra security. The clicks of heels echoed about the empty place, all the way until they touched carpet, silenced by the soft material upon the floor._

_Roxas turned over, groaning at the pounding headache that beat against the side of his head, like a hammer to a pot. The pain never relinquished, continuing to torment him. He didn't hear the door to the bedroom open, a slender form watching him sleep without his knowing._

_Cold hands touched his shoulders, then his neck, and down his back, initiating a massaging motion with the right amount of pressure. He felt his muscles loosen, until he snapped out of his reverie, shoving whoever loomed over him as far away as possible._

"_So eager, are we?" She licked her lips at him._

_Her attempts to seduce him were beginning to run dry, and Roxas continued to resist, in spite of his physical attraction to feel a woman's body against his own. The first time…and last, were all he could remember._

_He had been numbed to all the others. __**Hers**_ _was what made his heart beat faster than he imagined. He felt those same hands rub his cheeks, he jerked away once more, now awake._

"_What the—"_

_He thought this had all been a fluke, a figment of his twisted imagination. Something was wrong, so wrong it made him feel sick inside. The remains of his massive hangover were beginning to subside, but his still felt dizzy, and a little sleepy._

"_Morning, hun." A sultry voice gave him a pet name, leaning in to steal a kiss from lips she had tasted the night before. She weaved her hands into his mused spikes to keep him from getting away this time. He struggled when she shoved him down with the press of her body, wanting him all to herself._

_She decided to thank Riku the next time she saw him. He wasn't quite as gorgeous and handsome as the silver-haired wonder, but he was a good kisser in the least._

_Roxas' voice of disapproval was muffled when she continued to force her kiss upon him until he flipped their bodies over, pinning her down and squeezing her wrists to get his point across. He didn't want her. Didn't want this or… He noticed her hair was still moist, and it didn't take long for him to discover who he had "spent" the night with._

_His boxers were still in tact, a little maneuvered since he had been sleeping, but he wasn't sure if—_

"_What the hell happened last night?!" he demanded, narrowing his eyes at the woman below him. His grip tightened, but she giggled, used to this kind of interrogation. He felt the sick sensation rushing through his veins, making his stomach gargle from lack of nutrition or substance. But that wasn't his main concern._

"_You were quite an animal, Roxas…" she started, her smile widening as the seconds passed, "what's there to say about such an experienced guy like you? Didn't know you were the rough type."_

_His expression faltered a moment until realization set in. He felt mortified, giving up his virginity to some sweet talking whore! He was no better than her, needing human affection in just a physical manner, blowing off the emotional aspect that came with it. Why didn't he resist the urges? They were strong, but he was supposed to be stronger._

_It was too late. The damage had been done._

_He slept with this woman, giving her the one thing he could never regain. He was so disgusted with himself, filled with self-hatred. He ignored whatever she was saying, tired of hearing her lies, her feminine wiles to grasp his attention which was divided._

_For how long, he wasn't quite sure. But nothing mattered anymore; his own body's cravings betrayed his better judgment; the alcohol was a co-conspirator, and he was such a bastard for complying, deciding to give up his control to them. And her._

"_Ready for round two, Roxas?" She rubbed her thighs against his own before arching her back to bring their lower clothed halves together, like they had joined the night before._

_Roxas' expression hardened; his bangs shadowed his eyes before he got off the bed with a sharpness he hadn't felt in years. Correction: _**several** _years._

_He began gathering his clothes, the silence between himself and Elle grew deadly and stale. She sat up, disappointed he declined an offer he didn't refuse the night before. He slipped the jeans on with precision and without flaw, yanking the zipper closed in seconds. After throwing his wrinkled shirt on, he draped his jacket over his shoulder, making for the door and exit. Elle grabbed at his shoulders, turning him around so she stared right into his eyes, "Any guy would kill to be this close to me, you know."_

_Roxas did as much as raise an eyebrow, accusing her of her statement. She was so dirty, stained, and she didn't give a damn. "I'm surprised they want to use you as a pity f--…" His insult stopped halfway, until he continued with his skewered thought. " Or should I assume you like sleeping with men as dirty as you are?"_

_Angered by what he said, she slapped him before gripping his shirt to jerk him down to her height. "My sex life is legitimate, you prick! I am a very dignified, highly educated woman. I'll have you know—"_

"_Go find another desperate sap to share your filthy bed. Seems to me you're so good at opening your legs to every willing guy that crosses your path – you're pretty much the party favor that keeps on giving. But I have a conscience, unlike the slut that you are."_

_Her eyes widened at his cruel words, fueling her anger further. She shouted that he get out of her house before she called the police for harassment. Roxas cared not even when she flipped him off, slamming the door behind him after thrusting the rest of his useless belongings at his chest, letting them fall onto the pavement of her walkway._

_He arrived back at the apartment, not bothering to return the stuttered greetings he was offered. He threw off his shoes at the entrance; still keeping to the etiquette of the place he was staying at__. __He stayed in his room for the next two days, and the rest of the week he was "eager" to go to work and his daily lectures at the local University, wanting to avoid talking about what happened that night. That was when the arguments between Riku and Trinity began, having found out on their own after discovering a phone number in the same pair of Roxas' jeans that he had thrown in the washer for intensive cleaning._

-~-~-

Days turned into weeks, weeks transitioned into months. Nothing was different, but the silent treatment amongst the apartment belonging to Roxas was becoming unbearable. He couldn't stay any longer at Riku and Trinity's place, in spite of their continual reasoning attempts and other ways to cope with him.

Roxas knew things weren't going to be any better while he was a liaison in their joined life. He knew Riku was planning to marry Trinity, forcing his best friends to make a pact with him. Trinity's past was never something he brought up, knowing so few details that she willed herself to relinquish because he had a right to know more than just her name.

It was no surprise Riku and Trinity were intimate, but she never allowed him to go any farther, even when he tempted her to the point of breaking. Most of their attempts were interrupted as a result, leaving Riku more and more anxious. But he declared he loved her more than anything, though not around Roxas due to his unstable condition.

But as far as love lives, things had happened while Roxas was "away on holiday".

Sora became distant toward Kairi, struggling to contact Roxas in hopes of helping him cope with the loss of Naminé. The fact he paid more attention to his friend's problems than with his relationship was causing it to slowly deteriorate. Hayner and Olette were fighting over anything and everything – a young couple that were once the example; the solution became the problem and obstacle. Sakuya was forced to break up with Pence against her will, never giving him a reason as to her disappearance that same day. It was rumored she moved and had to comply with her parents' marriage arrangement for her.

…Worst of all, Roxas didn't care.

He received calls from all the guys, a couple from the girls, and a farewell letter from Sakuya, explaining she wasn't allowed to speak or see him or their friends ever again. He watched the letter slide into the shredder in front of him, the expensive parchment being cut into even squares no bigger than a quarter of an inch in length. His heart throbbed at him a moment, chastising his ridiculous act of destroying the remnants of Sakuya's existence. He didn't talk to her much since she spent her time with Pence, but still…they were "friends", even if it wasn't as close as his relationship with Kairi, Sora, Riku or Hayner for that matter.

His careless attitude almost cost him his job, and gave him a warning for academic probation. He focused on his studies more from then on; declining offers to go out with Riku while listening to his anxieties to grow closer to Trinity and hope for her to open up to him more rather than act so hypocritical.

Another day flew by, leading him into deep bouts of depression. His condition faltered quicker than before. He gazed out at the window with emptiness in his eyes; the crystalline blue of his irises had faded to a dull gray-cerulean, as if he were going blind. He sipped what remained of his mocha latte, tossing the carbon cup into the nearby wastebasket. The pile stacked up without his knowing, and even if he had any sort of idea, it didn't matter – they were as empty and dry as his own heart.

"Duuuude! Anybody home?"

The voice that called out to him was muffled until it became clearer when his front door was opened. Sora's footsteps sounded in the hollow apartment. He spotted the familiar blond tuft of hair, strolling over to its owner before laying his hand on his shoulder. He shook it a little before locating the garbage and an emerald bottle loosely gripped in Roxas' hand.

He sighed at the sight of his best friend, drowning his problems away until the bottom of the bottle revealed the truth. He wasn't sure if now was the best time for him to scold the young man, or leave things be. He snatched the bottle out of Roxas' hand, dodging his tries to get it back. His desperation was sad to watch, forcing the brunette to throw the bottle onto the wooden floor, both watching it shatter into thousands of glass pieces.

"What the hell is wrong with you, huh?!" He grabbed at the collar of Roxas' shirt, shaking him out of his wits.

"Piss off, Sora."

"Screw you, you moron."

"Don't try and sympathize with me, you have no idea—"

"Give me any of that emo crap and I'll beat you into next week."

"Like hell you would."

Sora, exasperated and upset with his ridiculous friend, shoves him back into the chair he had been sitting in. It didn't take long for him to pull back his fist, socking Roxas in the cheek, enough to turn his face, receiving a crick in his over-craned neck. The blond retaliated in that instant, throwing his own fist that connected with his friend's cheek, sending him onto the floor. He lunged forward, unleashing the wrath he had pent up for too long.

The two began rolling about the apartment, knocking a vase over and a couple lamps, ignoring the loud smashes as they fell onto the floor. Their argument ensued, blinding them with rage and frustration. Sora pinned Roxas down while swinging punch after punch, yelling and ignoring the stinging pain of his knuckles as they swelled, continuing to strike some sense into his best friend.

"So your life's in the hole right now, it doesn't mean you have to stay there, you retard!"

They hadn't gotten into a confrontation this bad in years… It wasn't a surprise something like this would happen in the end. Sora knew how Roxas suppressed his emotions, the way he would tell himself that his relationship with Naminé should remain platonic, and it was best they did not "progress" from that stage. But Sora knew better; he knew that some nights Roxas would have that longing expression upon his face.

'_Why did this have to happen?_' Sora thought after delivering a final punch, hands aching for him to stop pulverizing Roxas. He snapped up when Roxas shoved him off his body, incurring a painful kick in the side of his ribs. He hit his head against the side of the couch, unable to move as Roxas wrapped his hands around Sora's neck, slamming him repeatedly against the ground, struggling with his inner anxieties until his eyesight became blurred.

"Rox--! W-What you're…doing…is in-insane, man!"

Memories flowed into his line of vision. Some were pleasant, others depressing, and some left him questioning why everything had broken to thousands of pieces. His life had become a living Hell, and it was hard to believe that he would not only have his virginity forever lost, but also his friends would drift apart, the final piece that keeps his sanity in tact was deteriorating by the second. It gave him a sick feeling in the pit of his food-deprived stomach.

"I lost the girl I love, the one I cherish and you treat it as if I can just _try, try, try_ again. You're fucking wrong!" He felt like there was a bomb ticking inside of him, and the first explosion just happened – he was sure the rest of his own mentality would break and snap.

Naminé's smiling face was harder to see every day. The pictures he had of her and himself were stored inside of a box. He couldn't let go just yet, but as each day passed, the temptation grew stronger. The room fell silent when Roxas' strangling of Sora came to a screeching halt. The younger boy didn't fight anymore, allowing his friend to shake him since there was no point in resisting anymore.

"All you ever talk about is that things work themselves out. Guess what?! They won't EVER!"

He didn't understand why they were beginning to burn away, being consumed by fire and swallowed up until it became ash. The gray consistency reminded him of how 'salt and pepper' had spelled out how heartless his life truly was. What was the point of waking up each day, when it drove him into nothing but despair and self-hatred? He was disgusted with himself, and hoped that someone would kill him sooner or later.

"Stick to your crappy fairytales and stay the hell out of my business for once, Sora!"

Going back to those days of happiness, those days of meaningless drama and wondering when he'd have to finish his English paper were filled with nothing but recklessness and minor worries. His father would often take him aside and wonder why Roxas did little to stand out in high school, receiving a half-hearted shrug with a "because I just don't feel the need to tell the world I'm different" kind of response. He wasn't one to express himself just to prove a point, for remaining silent was already making a statement in its own way.

He turned to see Kairi there, watching them in horror before she wrenched Roxas off her boyfriend. There were tears in her eyes as she was devastated over the critical condition Sora was placed under. Roxas had caused him to fall unconscious, and received a well-deserved slap across his opposite cheek.

"What is wrong with you?!"

He hardly reacted when she raised her hand a second time, slapping him again and again out of anger.

"You could have killed him, you stupid idiot!"

She began beating her fists on his chest, sobs making her chest wheeze and her shoulders shake out of her control. She managed to follow Sora to Roxas' apartment, seeing the door ajar and hearing loud noises of bickering inside. If she had gotten here sooner—

She turned away from her friend, falling to her knees to help her boyfriend up, cradling his head against her bosom. The remainder of the evening consisted of Sora being transported to the nearest hospital while Kairi notified Riku to meet her there immediately. She didn't look at Roxas the rest of the time, too focused on Sora to even care at the moment. Roxas stepped backward from the scene, mortified. He ran, his destination a blur and his mind just as blank as a polished slate.

Naminé was stolen from him, because he gave her up. Any further, and he could have _taken_ a life he would have given anything to bring back. Sora didn't deserve that beating…

Roxas ran. He didn't know what was going through his head anymore, confused, lost and unable to decipher reality from fiction. He had almost killed his best friend, and right in front of another one of his close companions. They had all been there for one another, comforted each other, and this is how he repays them?

He ran out of the small complex, hopping stairs and bumping into people that gave him a suspected look, as if he committed a great crime without their knowledge. Close enough to the truth that he could taste it. His hands were clammy and moist, his throat arid and dry.

His phone began ringing in his pocket, crying for his immediate attention, but the sound was drowned out when he kept running in no particular direction. He eventually gave in, wrenching his mobile out from the confines of his jeans and threw it onto the ground, beating the harmless device. He disappeared, leaving that shred of evidence behind.

* * *

Hours passed since Sora's admittance into the hospital. His injuries were minor and nothing too serious, but the trauma he had been put through was clear on his skin. The grueling marks upon his neck showed profound signs of fingerprints. Riku arrived right when Zack finished his explanation, bidding him a temporary farewell since he had to finish his rounds about the floor of other patients.

"Hey," Riku lifted a hand to greet Kairi, but she didn't reciprocate the half-hearted gesture. She turned back toward Sora, holding his hand in a firm but gentle grip. No one talked about Roxas' absence, assuming he was away yet again.

Big surprise.

Pence wasn't accounted for, and neither was Hayner, which left Trinity back at the apartment, and Olette was too shocked to even consider coming. Each offered their condolences to their dear friend, but the problem only stacked higher up the chain of several other dilemmas.

"Did Zack prescribe him anything?" Riku sat on one side of Sora's bed, patting the young man's head with a distant look about his face. Kairi finished crying a long while ago, but the remnants of her tears were still fresh as morning air.

"Yeah, Aerith came by too, dropping off a small potion to reduce the trauma, but she decided that natural healing would be best for him."

"I see. Heard anything from—"

"No."

"Nothing?"

"Yeah…"

"That…that makes me a little worried, you know?"

"Yeah…"

Riku sighed when Sora stirred a little, unable to think much about how torn apart all of his friends had become. The couples were now singles, both willing and unwilling. Trinity refused to speak to him, leaving his heart broken. But now wasn't the time to weep about how shitty his love life – and life in general – had become. His two best friends, and Sora in particular, were in trouble, and it was his duty to watch over them like the big brother he had been since the beginning.

Those memories were subtle and sweet, no complications in between. If he could relive those days, he would trade what he had now in a heartbeat. He supposed such a wish was nothing short of childlike, but he shrugged at the matter.

He saw Kairi tighten both of her hands around Sora's larger one, trying to keep herself together even though she was failing miserably. "Why, Riku?" She looked up at him, pleading to him with her eyes. He responded with a solemn bow of his head, telling her without a verbal statement that he didn't have an answer at all.

The only sound left in that small room were the occasional beeping sounds of a heart rate machine, and the tiny conversations held outside the door and in the neighboring rooms.

--

He couldn't believe his own feet led him to this place. He traced the simple decor with his eyes, approaching with precarious steps. His knock was quiet against the oak wood, and he was greeted by a familiar face.

Neither spoke a word at first, staring instead.

"Oh." which was all she could say.

The young man scratched the back of his head, "…Mind if I…?" He couldn't finish.

She shook her head, opening her door further to allow him inside. He stepped in, and she closed the entrance behind him with a soft push. Roxas continued walking until he sat upon the couch, exhausted both mentally and physically. He didn't know what else to do, where to run, who to turn to.

Everything seemed so hopeless now, and his world already crumbled into millions of pieces. He was sure he hit rock bottom by this point. Riku always told him that the last direction from there was up. He still didn't believe it to this day, but had considered it in the least.

"H-Haven't heard from you in a while, you know."

"Yeah," Olette started, handing Roxas a bottle of water. He twisted the cap open with ease, beginning to drink the clear contents of the beverage. She sat down next to him on the loveseat, concern written in her features. She stared down at her tightened hands when she began hearing his deep swallows, stuck for words.

"You just missed Hayner."

"Yeah?"

She nodded, explaining bits of the fight they had before her boyfriend's departure, leaving her to "hold the fort" until he wasn't mad at her anymore. The feeling was mutual from her, so she didn't care when he would come back, even though in her conscience she didn't want anything drastic to happen to him to scare her.

"You still love her, don't you Rox?"

He looked at her for a moment, keeping quiet. She assumed that was a "yes", minus the brooding expression plastered across his face. Olette grimaced at him as a reply, still wondering how long he had been tormenting himself, drowning in depression and self-loathing. It wasn't fair, not to him, not to anyone, not to her.

Roxas took another sip, "What about you and Hayner? You two have been together the longest."

Olette bit her lip at his question, finding it more as an accusation than something out of curiosity. "He…hasn't touched me in a year." She began rubbing her arm with her opposite hand, a shy blush creeping itself on her cheeks, staining them a light rose.

The young man choked a little while swallowing, finding the shared information to be too much amongst friends. He was never one to listen to the more…personal lives and interactions between anyone's significant other. He stood by the belief to only having sex after he was married - but the reminder left him bitter that very moment when the events from before rewound in his head.

"We fight as if it's the only thing we have in common with each other. Some days I can't even stand next to him without wanting to yell at him."

Roxas offered whatever condolences he could give, but the thought of Hayner yelling, being forceful in any manner left his taste buds bitter. He was beginning to wonder if his declining behavior could have been the start of this entire mess. He was replete with guilt, still thinking about the possibility when the relationships each of his friends had with one another were different when compared to him and them. Still, he couldn't help but contemplate.

A strawberry scent whispered past his nostrils, offering him a calming sensation for a moment. He realized Olette was hugging him, sobbing on his chest, her hands cupping his shoulder blades. "H-He said he d-didn't want to lose me…but now…I don't even know if I love him anymore." He peered down at her dark hair before palming the back of her head, whispering reassuring words and giving her the comfort she needed that instant.

He looked up at the clock, his eyebrows quirking up at the bold digital numbers glaring 11:15PM at him. '_Should probably go home… Gotta call Sora…_' he thought before pulling away from Olette's embrace. He brushed the tips of his fingers against the corners of her eyes, wiping her tears away. He told her again that she shouldn't worry, and to keep having faith in Hayner things might work out if she just talked to him.

He saw doubt in her expression before getting up. She asked if he had driven himself to get here, but when he replied that he hadn't, she insisted driving him back. He shook his head, declining without hesitation. As he prepared to leave, he looked about the abode to search for his friend again, almost forgetting to say goodbye to her.

"Hey, 'lette? I gotta go, it's getting late." He announced, receiving no answer first until he called out to his friend the second time. She explained she was in her bedroom, he followed the sound of her voice instead of giving her time to see him off, nudging the door open just enough to see her walking out of the bathroom, fiddling with one of her socks before she managed to succeed in slipping it on her left foot.

He found her clothed in simple pajamas, consisting of a button up top that was green, and a pair of shorts to match. He gave her a hug, reminding her that Hayner wasn't the type to just argue and not apologize – whether or not he was even right never mattered.

She nodded in response as he retracted, but not long before gazing up at him. He returned the gesture before smiling a little as best he could. "Well, night."

She held his shirt in a vice grip before jerking him toward her with an uncanny amount of strength on her behalf. Her lips touched his, leaving him surprised and appalled. He didn't know what was happening or why, confused and lost. He felt her desperation through the kiss they shared, but she moved further while he was still in shock. He gave in to the urge to swallow, realizing too late that he shouldn't have. Something had bypassed his defenses, and with Olette's influence.

'_What the f--_' His eyes widened when his vision became hazy and unclear, his equilibrium thrown off. He managed to shove Olette away, holding his head with one of his hands as he attempted to lean against something to help him balance. He attempted to look straight, failing once he noticed even her body shape couldn't be outlined – he didn't see her step forward, his body limp and useless.

Somehow she had him pinned to the bed, gazing down at him from above with an enigmatic expression. "I've always wanted you, Roxas. Even in junior high, I started to like you as more than a platonic friend. Naminé stole you away and you followed her like an obedient bitch." She trailed the tip of her filed nail along his moist lips, the pair opening a little against his will. His eyes were glossed, and he was vulnerable.

"She had you eating out of the palm of her hand, and you were a willing participant…" Olette narrowed her eyes at him, angry that Naminé always got whatever she desired. As far as she knew, the girl was a two-timing slut; she was drawing the conclusion that Roxas slept with her, and it wouldn't surprise her that Hiro would have already since they were seeing one another. She began removing her clothing, intent to claim what was rightfully hers years ago.

She had given her virginity to Hayner when they were reckless teenagers, both having suffered a major hangover and woke up next to one another, clothes disheveled and scattered about the floor of a friend's house. They had attended a party that day along with their usual company, and it was a celebration of sorts. Alcohol was present there, and she never imagined drinking any, until she discovered the punch had been spiked without her prior knowledge.

They were already a dating couple and coped with the loss, but she was devastated even though she harbored a degree of feelings to her blond friend. The two shared mutual feelings over the embarrassing subject, moved on and kept their relationship strong.

But now what they had – what they built after so many years of devotion was in shambles!

"Everyone said she was such a goody-two-shoes who couldn't hurt a fly – what a faker." Her jealousy burned within her chest, her heart beating faster, fueled by anticipation. Her eyes dulled to a flat emerald, flaring with malicious thoughts and twisted fantasies. Rape was never in her plan to make Roxas hers, but she knew he wouldn't sleep with her without…some form of persuasion.

She worked with haste, liberating him of his clothing as well, watching the drug he swallowed take effect. His body seemed to be in rapture, sweat beginning to glisten along his skin, his flesh rising in temperature as she began kissing him again and again. She wanted him so bad, needed to have him all to herself and give him up to no one. She wanted to dirty him, make him only think about her and to lose himself.

She descended upon her vulnerable love, her mission and desire fulfilled after so many years of waiting. Roxas wanted to escape the poisonous web he had been snared in, tangled in the silky trap. He begged for her to let him go, telling her that what she was doing wasn't moral or right in any way. She ignored him, knowing that if she grew a conscience now then she would be irritated she didn't pull through with her plan.

She was going to have what she wanted.

Whether he liked it…

…Or not.

* * *

Author's Notes:

Critique, comment and the like if you wish. Look forward to number fourteen. You haven't seen anything yet...[insert maniacal bad guy laugh here]


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